Counterfeit goods worth R7m seized at Walmer shop

Counterfeit goods worth more than R7m were seized from a shop in Port Elizabeth this week.

In a statement on Friday, police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci said the goods — including perfume and branded clothing — had been seized on Tuesday at about 5pm from a shop in Walmer.

Soci said border police members at the Port of Ngqura had acted on information received about the counterfeit products and the shop from which they were being sold.

A multidisciplinary team comprising the SAPS, Adams & Adams and Spoor & Fischer patent attorneys, as well as representatives of brand companies, swooped in on the shop in Port Elizabeth,” she said.

“During the operation, counterfeit perfumes and branded clothing to the value of R7.1m were identified and confiscated.” 

Counterfeit Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, Lacoste and Coco Chanel perfumes, among others, were seized, as well as counterfeit Puma, Nike and Adidas clothes and watches.

“All the seized items were handed over to the brand attorneys’ representatives for further investigation,” Soci said.

She would not reveal the name or street address of the shop.

The suspects were warned in terms of dealing in counterfeit goods and their documentation was verified by home affairs officials as both were foreign nationals, she said.

 Eastern Cape provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Liziwe Ntshinga commended police, saying: “Tough times are ahead for criminals who continue to undermine the authority of the state in the Eastern Cape.

“We committed ourselves when we launched our 2019/2020 Safer Festive Season Operations in East London on November 6, and we will continue to stamp the authority of the state.

"[We] will not allow our province to be the hideout spot for illegal traders fleeing from other provinces.”