A multi-disciplinary approach driven operation conducted by Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation, Border Policing City Deep, and Johannesburg Central Visible Policing resulted in the arrest of a couple in the Crown Mines, Johannesburg on Thursday, 19 March 2020, for contravention of counterfeit goods Act 37 of 1997.
The team followed up on intelligence information regarding counterfeit goods activities in one of the Crown Mines factories since July 2019. It is alleged that the suspects were re branding debarred Stay free sanitary pads into Always product packaging.
A search and seizure warrant was obtained in January subsequently for effective operation. Surveillance was kept within the perimeter of the factory and the manufacturing processes were positively identified.
The couple was escorted from their residence in Northcliff to their factory in Crown Mines on Thursday morning. Upon searching the factory, over sixty thousand readily packed packets of Always sanitary pads and two Rizzla manufacturing machines with an estimated value of R5 million were seized.
The duo is expected to appear before the Palm Ridge Special Commercial Crimes Court on Friday, 20 March 2020. Investigation continues.
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