AUTHORITIES successfully joined forces to clamp down on illegal apparel trading in Empangeni last Tuesday, seizing a whopping R420 000 worth of counterfeit goods.
The haul consisted of 830 registered shoe and apparel brands including Converse, Adidas, Nike, Puma and Uzzi.
Private investigators representing these brands located the goods in a shop on Byrne Street, Empangeni, before having the seizure made under the authority of the Empangeni SAPS Visible Policing unit.
No arrests were made as the two suspects, both foreigners who claimed to not be owners of the goods, agreed to sign voluntary civil undertakings.
However, should they be found guilty of a similar crime, the undertakings can be used in a court of law to charge them under the Counterfeit Goods Act 37 of 1997, under which a fine of R500 or three years imprisonment per item can be imposed.
A second seizure to the street value of R230 000 was made in a similar operation conducted in KwaDukuza a day prior, additionally consisting of Kiwi shoe polish and Bic pens alongside registered apparel brands.
The seized items will be transported to a counterfeit depot in Pinetown, Durban and destroyed.
Sector Commander for Empangeni Sector One, Captain Dup Herselman, thanked investigators for playing their part in tackling crime and encouraged similar partnerships between the SAPS and external stakeholders in future.
