The South African Police Service (SAPS) says it remains relentless in its efforts to uproot the illicit trade in counterfeit goods, as it has a detrimental impact on the economic growth of the country.
The police services’ National Counterfeit Unit led another integrated takedown operation in the Johannesburg CBD on Friday, which resulted in the seizure of counterfeit goods worth over R9 million.
The team comprised of SAPS members, officials from the South African Revenue Services (SARS), Gauteng Traffic, Brand Protectors, Crime Prevention Wardens and security companies.
During the operation, the team seized over 11 000 counterfeit items such as clothing apparel, shoes, watches, handbags and sunglasses.
“This was the third takedown operation in Gauteng province in the last four weeks,” the SAPS said in a statement.
In addition, the team also seized over R8 million worth of counterfeit goods during a takedown operation in Rustenburg, in the North West province last week.
“This brings the total value of counterfeit goods seized for the past four weeks to over R30 million.”
Illicit drugs
Meanwhile, in Bela-Bela, Limpopo, three male suspects aged between 38 and 43 years were arrested for the unlawful possession and dealing in illicit drugs in the early hours of Friday.
Acting on intelligence regarding illicit drug activities in Bela-Bela, the Waterberg District Illicit Mining Task Team conducted a swift and intelligence-driven operation resulting in the apprehension of these suspects.
During the operation, the SAPS said a 38-year-old South African male suspect was apprehended at his residence, where the police discovered 2 900 sachets of nyaope and about six 25 litres of diesel suspected to be stolen.
Meanwhile, two foreign nationals aged 43 and 34 years were intercepted in separate locations in Bela-Bela.
“They were found in possession of illicit drugs, including ninety sachets of crystal meth and nyaope.”
In Musina, the border policing team made significant arrests as part of Disruptive Operation Vala Umgodi at the Beitbridge port of entry.
“Five Zimbabwean nationals were apprehended and subsequently processed for direct deportation by Immigration Officers from the Department of Home Affairs.”
In a separate operation, members of the Mopani District Illicit Mining Task Team conducted thorough searches during Operation Vala Umgodi on the same day, leading to the seizure of multiple mining equipment in Myakayaka village.
This equipment are believed to be linked to illegal mining activities in the Maake policing area.
Furthermore, the SAPS confiscated drugs with an estimated street value of R90 000 during an intelligence-driven operation in Bela-Bela.
The arrested suspects are to appear before the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 11 March 2024.
“The South African Police Service is committed to combatting illegal activities and ensuring the safety and security of our communities.” – SAnews.gov.za
Electric Player
Fun South African Fact: South Africa is home to the highest commercial bungi jump in the world at 710 feet.
Sw33per
Van is getting married, but he and his fiancee have never done the deed – in fact he\’s never been with any woman before. He\’s getting more and more nervous as the big day approaches, so he confides in his friend. His friend says \’No worries man. I\’ll come by the honeymoon suite before you guys get there, and I\’ll hide behind the curtain, and I\’ll whisper instructions to you.\’
\’You\’d do that for me?\’
\’Sure thing man!\’
So the wedding day arrives, it was a lovely service (so I was told, I wasn\’t there myself) and Van\’s friend sneaks into the honeymoon suite as promised and hides behind the curtain.
Van and his new wife arrive in the room, get settled on the bed, and things are getting steamy.
But Van is still super nervous and his tummy is bubbling, so he murmers to his wife, \’Listen babe, I\’m just gonna go to the bathroom quick. I think it\’s that wors roll from earlier.\’
\’Sure thing babe.\’
So Van goes into the bathroom, and he\’s taking quite a long time. And his wife is starting to feel the nerves herself. And it\’s getting worse. She can\’t hold it in. But she doesn\’t want to go after he\’s gone and totally ruin the mood. So she looks around and finally finds a shoebox. Quickly, she does her business in the shoebox, and she shoves it under the bed just as Van comes back from the loo.
Van gets back on the bed and they go at it again. But after a minute or so Van smells something not so lekker.
\’What\’s that smell?\’
\’Nothing babe,\’ he wife tries to assure him.
\’No man there\’s definitely something not so lekker in this room!\’VSo Van starts looking around the room, in the corners, in the cupboard, and finally he looks under the bed, and sees the shoebox.
He pull it out, and opens it up, and in horror he shouts \’Sies! Daar\’s kak in hierdie doos!\’
And from behind the curtain his friend yells, \’NEE MAN, DRAAI HAAR OM!\”