Durban — Two foreign nationals were remanded in custody after they appeared in court on several charges including contravention of the Counterfeit Goods Act.
Hawks officers from Durban Serious Commercial Crime Investigation arrested two Ethiopians, Adis Abba Ejoje, 42, and Mulatu Workineh, 22, for contravention of the Counterfeit Goods Act, contravention of the Medicine Control Act, contravention of the Immigration Act and contravention of the Customs and Excise Act.
KZN Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said that last Saturday, December 14, officers received a complaint about a shop that was selling counterfeit goods at Empangeni. They proceeded to the said shop and a search was conducted.
“During the search various branded items including toothpastes, shoe polish, deodorants, illicit cigarettes, gel and cobra tablets to the street value of approximately R358 692.72 were seized,” Mhlongo said.
“Brand holders confirmed that the branded items were not genuine.
“Hawks members further seized R581 700 which was the proceeds of sale. The two were placed under arrest and charged accordingly. The seized cash will be referred to the Asset Forfeiture Investigation for further handling.”
Mhlongo said the suspects appeared in the Empangeni Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and were remanded in custody.
The case was postponed to Monday, December 23.
Meanwhile, last month food items such as canned fish, fizzy drinks, soya beans, baby food, and spices mostly used on chips and similar snacks, were found stored with hazardous chemicals such as pesticides, at a warehouse on the Bluff in Durban.
At the time, police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said investigations were under way to find the people responsible for the import of expired and counterfeit food similar to the type mostly sold at township and village spaza shops.
He said counterfeit prescription medication, body lotion and expired alcoholic beverages were also found in the two warehouses.
“Police have also intensified operations to detect vessels that come into the country carrying prohibited items and products that have not been authorised to be in the country,” Netshiunda said.
He said that during the operation police also discovered two warehouses that were storing counterfeit big-brand clothing items worth millions of rand.
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