GAUTENG police discovered box loads of fake merchandise of PSL club Kaizer Chiefs in a dawn raid on a house in Mondeor, Johannesburg.
Police believe the goods, including fake replica club jerseys, were transported into the country from China, through the Durban port to Botswana, before being taken to Johannesburg.
The joint operation including the Gauteng commercial and border units led to the arrest of two foreign nationals, a 30-year-old Algerian man and 39-year-old Moroccan national .
The goods were stored in a garage in a complex not far from the club's headquarters in Naturena.
It is alleged that the goods would later be distributed to other parts of the country to be sold to the public.
The counterfeit goods were neatly wrapped inside plastic bags, some were kept in huge bags, others in black travelling bags while some were in huge white industrial sacks.
Police also found a few Barcelona and Argentina national teams T-shirts.
The goods were worth more than R3-million.
Last year the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (Undoc) launched a global campaign to raise awareness of the $250-billion (R3-trillion) a year illicit trafficking of counterfeit goods.
The campaign - "Counterfeit: Don't buy into organised crime" - warns consumers that buying counterfeit goods could be funding organised criminal groups. It also warns that buying fake goods may put consumer health and safety at risk, and contributes to other ethical and environmental concerns.
According to Undoc, the campaign urges consumers to understand the serious repercussions of this illicit trade.
"The illicit trafficking and sale of counterfeit goods provides criminals with a significant source of income and facilitates the laundering of other illicit proceeds."
Gauteng police spokesman Major Mack Mngomezulu said the place was under surveillance for a week before they swooped yesterday at 6am.
"Our members have been monitoring the house after we received a tip-off about illegal activities taking place here. We then applied for a search warrant," he said.
Kaizer Chiefs manager Bobby Motaung applauded the police for their work in cracking the syndicate.
Motaung said counterfeit goods affected their revenue as well as the economy of the country.
"We support, participate with the police in identifying fake goods. We have a team that specifically deals with such situations," he said.
"Our brand Kaizer Chiefs and that of our sponsor Nike are affected by such activities.
"Counterfeit goods affect job creation."
ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
Kaizer Chiefs hail bust of shirts
GAUTENG police discovered box loads of fake merchandise of PSL club Kaizer Chiefs in a dawn raid on a house in Mondeor, Johannesburg.
Police believe the goods, including fake replica club jerseys, were transported into the country from China, through the Durban port to Botswana, before being taken to Johannesburg.
The joint operation including the Gauteng commercial and border units led to the arrest of two foreign nationals, a 30-year-old Algerian man and 39-year-old Moroccan national .
The goods were stored in a garage in a complex not far from the club's headquarters in Naturena.
It is alleged that the goods would later be distributed to other parts of the country to be sold to the public.
The counterfeit goods were neatly wrapped inside plastic bags, some were kept in huge bags, others in black travelling bags while some were in huge white industrial sacks.
Police also found a few Barcelona and Argentina national teams T-shirts.
The goods were worth more than R3-million.
Last year the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (Undoc) launched a global campaign to raise awareness of the $250-billion (R3-trillion) a year illicit trafficking of counterfeit goods.
The campaign - "Counterfeit: Don't buy into organised crime" - warns consumers that buying counterfeit goods could be funding organised criminal groups. It also warns that buying fake goods may put consumer health and safety at risk, and contributes to other ethical and environmental concerns.
According to Undoc, the campaign urges consumers to understand the serious repercussions of this illicit trade.
"The illicit trafficking and sale of counterfeit goods provides criminals with a significant source of income and facilitates the laundering of other illicit proceeds."
Gauteng police spokesman Major Mack Mngomezulu said the place was under surveillance for a week before they swooped yesterday at 6am.
"Our members have been monitoring the house after we received a tip-off about illegal activities taking place here. We then applied for a search warrant," he said.
Kaizer Chiefs manager Bobby Motaung applauded the police for their work in cracking the syndicate.
Motaung said counterfeit goods affected their revenue as well as the economy of the country.
"We support, participate with the police in identifying fake goods. We have a team that specifically deals with such situations," he said.
"Our brand Kaizer Chiefs and that of our sponsor Nike are affected by such activities.
"Counterfeit goods affect job creation."
ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
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