Police and other stakeholders in the Free State are intensifying their clampdown on the illegal trade of counterfeit goods and illicit cigarettes.
Thabo Mofutsanana Policespokesperson Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring said in a recent coordinated operation, the Bethlehem Public Order Police, in collaboration with SARS Customs officials from Ladybrand, descended on various business premises in Ladybrand and Senekal.
During the operation, a total of seven foreign nationals were arrested for contraventions relating to the sale of illegal goods. Authorities also seized a significant quantity of illicit cigarettes and other counterfeit items, including unregulated skin lightening products.
The value of the seized items is estimated at about R450 000.
This operation forms part of an ongoing intelligence-led initiative aimed at dismantling criminal networks involved in the distribution of counterfeit and unregulated products. The areas of Bethlehem, Ladybrand and Senekal were identified as key hotspots through crime intelligence efforts.
Over the past few months, this joint approach has resulted in the seizure of millions of rand’s worth of illicit cigarettes and other illegal goods, signaling the SAPS’s unwavering commitment to protecting consumers and curbing the negative economic impact of counterfeit trade.