Five men aged between 23 and 37, appeared at the Piet Retief Magistrate’s Court today after being found in possession of counterfeit goods around the town, Piet Retief.
The suspects were arrested on 29 January 2018, at approximately 06:45, after police received a tip off about the counterfeit goods that were being transported from KwaZulu-Natal to Gauteng.
The team responded to the tip off, spotted and stopped the three vehicles fitting the description. During the search, police discovered that the vehicles were loaded with illicit goods, clothing and sneakers, as a result the five suspects, three drivers and two passengers, were nabbed on the spot.
The suspects, Ricardo Martin (33), Ligolunkwu Obisili (37), Thabo Vusi Mthembu (23), Zenzele Mathe (31) and Sibusiso Ndlovu (33) were remanded in custody until 06 February 2018 at the same court, for further investigation.
Meanwhile another load of illicit goods was found abandoned in the bushes not very far from the Lebombo Port of Entry, by a passer by who then alerted the police. The police proceeded to the scene and they discovered the loot wrapped in black refuse bags comprising of various brands of fake sneakers.
The combined estimated street value of the loot is over R 3 Million.
The Provincial Commissioner of the police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma hailed the community for alerting the police on these illicit goods reporting the loot to the police, thereby displaying active citizenship and selflessness.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
