| 2025/01/13 |
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Media Statement
LIMPOPO – This week, the South African Police Service (SAPS), in collaboration with its crime-fighting partners, conducted a successful operation in Musina, Limpopo, leading to the seizure of counterfeit and illicit goods valued at over R5 million. The operation was spearheaded by the National Counterfeit Goods Unit, with support from the SAPS Gauteng Drone Team, the Bloemfontein K9 Unit, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs, and brand protectors. A MAJOC roving team comprising of SAPS members from specialised units deployed in Limpopo as part of OPERATION VALA UMGODI also participated. While primarily tasked with addressing crimes associated with illicit mining, these members contribute to combating a broader range of criminal activities in the province. On Sunday, 12 January 2025, the team executed a search-and-seizure warrant at a shopping mall in Musina’s central business district (CBD). During the operation, more than 2 000 counterfeit and illicit items, including sneakers, clothing, cellphone accessories, perfumes, and consumables, were confiscated. Two Eritrean nationals and one Bangladeshi national, all asylum seekers, were arrested for dealing in counterfeit goods. The Bangladeshi national faces an additional charge for bribery, after attempting to bribe officers at the scene to evade his arrest. On the same day, the team stopped and searched vehicles in the area which led them to arrest a suspect for possession of a stolen vehicle. The members also seized dagga and drugs found abandoned in a taxi after the driver and commuters fled the scene on foot. The SAPS, together with its partners, remains steadfast in its efforts to eliminate the illegal trade of counterfeit and illicit goods, which pose risks to consumers, harm legitimate businesses, and undermine the economy of this country. Ends
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