Right in the middle of the busy festive shopping season, South African police pulled off a major nationwide sweep that hit counterfeiters hard. They confiscated fake and illegal goods worth more than R350 million and arrested 33 people across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape.
Teams from the SAPS Counterfeit, Contraband, and Illicit Goods Units worked together with other law enforcement partners to raid spots during December 2025. In total, they grabbed nearly 600,000 dodgy items — think fake high-end designer clothes, sports gear, shoes, jewellery, cosmetics, phone accessories, and more.
They also uncovered illegal medicines worth over R1 million, plus loads of bootleg cigarettes, alcohol, and other everyday consumables.
The 33 suspects now face charges ranging from selling counterfeit stuff to drug possession, breaking medicine and liquor laws, second-hand goods rules, and even immigration issues.
Police are stressing that this isn’t just about money — these fake products are dangerous. They’re often made in unregulated places with zero attention to safety or quality, putting shoppers at risk. Legitimate businesses suffer too, losing customers to these cheap knock-offs, which can lead to factory slowdowns and job losses.
Here’s a glimpse of what the police uncovered in these operations:
And piles more of the seized fakes:
Over R350 Million in Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Seized, 33 …
SAPS thanked all the government departments and partners who helped make these busts possible. They’re promising to keep cracking down on these criminal networks.
A friendly reminder from the police: When you’re out shopping, especially during peak times, stay sharp and steer clear of suspiciously cheap “branded” items. Buying them only keeps these illegal operations going strong.