The Hawks have seized suspected counterfeit branded merchandise worth approximately R7 million in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. The seizure was made possible through a search-and-seizure operation conducted on September 16 at Sneaker Freakz, a retail shop situated at the corner of Bell and Beetlestone roads in Gelvandale. The operation was a result of an investigation initiated by the Gqeberha Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit.
According to Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, the Eastern Cape Hawks spokesperson, the investigation began with test purchases conducted by a representative of the affected brand holders. In June, a test purchase resulted in the acquisition of sneakers suspected to be counterfeit Adidas products. A further test purchase was subsequently conducted, leading to the purchase of sneakers suspected to be counterfeit Nike products and Lacoste T-shirts.
The information and evidence obtained during the test purchases led to a case docket being opened and prompted Hawks investigators to advance the investigation. Working with Spoor & Fisher and relevant stakeholders from the Department of Justice, the Hawks obtained a search warrant enabling the search-and-seizure operation at the premises. The operation resulted in the recovery and seizure of a substantial quantity of merchandise suspected to be counterfeit.
The estimated value of the confiscated stock is R7 million. Following the seizure, the merchandise was secured for further examination. The Hawks identified two suspects, aged between 30 and 40, as the owners of the retail shop. They have been served with summons for alleged contraventions of the Counterfeit Goods Act and are expected to appear before the Gqeberha New Law Court on October 29.
The illicit trade and distribution of counterfeit branded merchandise is a significant concern in South Africa, with the majority of cases concentrated in Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape. The Hawks, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, have been working to combat this issue through various operations.
This recent seizure is one of several successful operations conducted by the Hawks and police in recent months. In Middelburg, over 1,600 counterfeit and illicit products were seized during a police operation, while in Pretoria, police and partner agencies seized more than 10,000 suspected counterfeit items valued at about R9 million.
The Hawks' efforts to combat counterfeit goods have yielded significant results, with several high-value seizures made in recent months. The R7 million seizure in Gqeberha is a notable example of the unit's success in disrupting the trade in counterfeit branded merchandise. Two key points from this operation are:
Key points
- The Hawks seized suspected counterfeit branded merchandise worth approximately R7 million in Gqeberha.
- Two Gqeberha shop owners have been served with summons for alleged contraventions of the Counterfeit Goods Act.
