Police seize fake Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Rolexes in Bloemfontein.

“The operations were led by the National Counterfeit Goods Unit, with support from members of Public Order Policing (POP) in Bloemfontein, officials from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs division, brand protectors, and private security personnel.

“Search and seizure warrants were executed in accordance with the Customs and Excise Act at targeted shops in the Bloemfontein central business district (CBD), “van Wyk said. 

She said over the course of two days, more than 13,000 counterfeit items, including clothing, shoes, bags, and jewellery, were confiscated. The majority of the seized items are imitations of high-end luxury brands.

“Six foreign nationals were arrested for contravening the Immigration Act. One of the suspects is also facing an additional charge for resisting arrest,”van Wyk said. 

Police management said it remains committed to disrupting and dismantling the illegal trade in counterfeit and illicit goods in order to protect consumers, safeguard legitimate businesses, and support the South African economy.

Earlier this month, authorities confirmed the contents of a shipping container at Durban harbour were loaded with counterfeit brands.

Port inspectors executed a search warrant at Roseburg container depot following a two-month investigation.No arrests have been made yet, but the investigation is still ongoing.