A truck driver and his passenger were arrested for smuggling fake products from luxury brands such as Chanel, Gucci, Versace, and Louis Vuitton into South Africa at the Lebombo border post on Wednesday last week.
The truck driver, originally from Zimbabwe and a woman from Mozambique were intercepted at the border post during a comprehensive stop-and-search operation conducted by law enforcement officials.
According to Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, a spokesperson for the Hawks in Mpumalanga, the suspects were travelling in a Freightliner truck that was loaded with counterfeit goods when they were intercepted on Wednesday.
The fake merchandise was found hidden in the side tipper bins.
Some of the listed goods seized by police include:
1. 510 pairs of Nike sneakers
2. 80 pairs of Adidas sandals
3. 118 Diesel jeans
4. 88 pairs of Adidas sneakers
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5. 200 pairs of All Star sneakers
6. 62 pairs of Chanel shoes
7. 21 pairs of Louis Vuitton shoes
8. 18 pairs of Versace shoes
9. 19 pairs of Polo shoes
10. 19 pairs of Gucci shoes
11. 18 bales of second-hand clothes
The estimated street value of the seized goods was R800,000.
The suspects were charged with contravening provisions of the Customs and Excise Act and the Counterfeit Goods Act.
The truck and trailers were confiscated and taken to the customs warehouse, while the counterfeit goods were counted and also taken to the warehouse.
The suspects appeared at the Komatipoort Magistrate’s Court on Friday and were remanded in custody and investigations are ongoing.
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