The police and SARS arrested 11 people in and around Bethal on Thursday, March 3 in connection with illicit liquor products worth millions of rands.
Const Thomas Mogadime said the illicit trade of liquor products was dealt a major blow during this intervention on a farm, about 10km from Bethal.
“The SARS and police have conducted numerous interventions in the Mpumalanga area to clamp down on traders who divert export liquor back into the domestic area. Information obtained from these interventions indicated that local consumers were being supplied with unknown liquor products,” Const Mogadime said.
The Bethal Police, Secunda Crime Intelligence, Secunda Bomb Disposal Unit, Secunda K9 unit, Secunda Public Order Police, Bethal Community Policing Forum (CPF), MavCorp High-Risk Unit and SARS officials assigned to the Illicit Trade Unit raided the premises on March 3.
The following product and manufacturing products were found on the farm:
– Numerous 5000-litre tanks containing manufactured alcohol.
– Manufacturing equipment.
– Equipment to remove labels from bottles
– Numerous pallets of empty glass bottles
– Numerous tanks containing maize, which are used as ingredients in the manufacturing of alcohol
– More than 2 500 boxes of liquor unknown to industry specialists
– Numerous drums containing mixtures to add flavour to the manufactured alcohol.
– Drums of sodium cyclamate (it was found that this product is not fit for human consumption)
Mogadime said information at this scene led the officials to a second premises in Bethal. At this premises, the following were found:
– Numerous boxes of Vodka caps
– Labels
– Fermentation machines
– Wrapping machines
– Numerous pallets of beer
– Numerous drums containing mixtures to add flavour to the manufactured alcohol.
Further investigations led the officials to a parked truck close to the second scene in Bethal.
The truck was opened and 10 pallets of duty-free liquor were found in the truck.
“These liquor products (destined to be exported) was also confiscated as it is suspected that it was being diverted back into the domestic market.”
Const Mogadime said the investigation is still in its early stages.
According to a reliable source, local shops in Bethal were also searched that day and similar additional goods were confiscated and more suspects arrested.
The police arrested 11 people.
The suspects have already appeared in the Bethal Magistrate’s Court on Friday, March 4 on charges of contravening the Customs and Excise Act as well as the National Liquor Act.
Two men were granted bail.
The case has been postponed to Thursday, March 10.
