Members of the Hawks’ Durban Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit executed a successful search and seizure operation at the Roseburg container depot on Friday, confiscating counterfeit goods worth an estimated R13,830,251.07.
The operation marked a significant breakthrough in an investigation that began in April 2024, when Border Police intercepted and inspected a suspicious container. Samples of the goods were withdrawn for analysis, and brand attorneys later confirmed that the shipment contained a wide range of counterfeit products imitating major international brands.
Among the counterfeit items seized were products falsely bearing the trademarks of Adidas, Nike, Lacoste, Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Puma, Batman, Superman, Samsung, Stevemanden, and Colgate.
No arrests have been made thus far, but authorities have affirmed that the investigation remains ongoing. The Hawks have urged the public to report any suspicious trading activities as they continue their crackdown on the illicit counterfeit goods trade.
