The Lego products seized by police. Photo: Saps
Gauteng police have seized a large number of counterfeit Lego products worth almost a million rand in Centurion, north of Johannesburg.
Police said search and seizure warrants were executed at the Oriental City, Old Johannesburg Road in Centurion, and at Queens Corner Shopping Centre in Queenswood on Thursday.
Spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the targeted operation was conducted in terms of the Counterfeit Goods Act.
“This follows a complaint that was received implicating the well-known business premises apparently contravening the Act in respect of selling or distributing counterfeit Lego products.”
Mogale said the identified premises have been on the authorities’ radar for a while, culminating in fact finding, operation which involved members from the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law, Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation, brand representatives and members of Toms.
“Toys and electronic games, equipment, computer games bearing Lego trademarks were found and confiscated from the premises display. On further investigations, multiple boxes of the same products packed on different isles bearing Lego trademark were all seized. Approximately 2,100 units were seized to an estimated value of R 850,000.
“Criminal and Civil proceedings are to be instituted against the responsible businesses as well as their respective owners,” Mogale said.
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Spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said this followed efforts by police in the Western Cape to clamp down on the illegal trade of counterfeit goods in the province, and entire truckloads were confiscated during the integrated operation.
“The multimillion-rand takedown operation between members of Saps, Customs and Excise and brand protectors from various popular products kicked off at around 11am with a search warrant at a shopping complex close to the Bellville Taxi Rank, where two similar operations have been conducted in the last six months,” he said.
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