13 Mar Police bust food-bev fraudsters in Gauteng

Here’s tale of cops uncovering some high-level food-bev fraud underway in SA….

The Gauteng Organised Crime Unit has reported it raided two different warehouses in Midrand, where it uncovered sophisticated machinery, and illicit products worth an estimated R10-million.

“Alcohol products including various brands, a bottling capping machine, packaging machines, imported spice counterfeit products in bags and counterfeit spice packaging materials for a well-known spice producing company worth millions of rand were seized,” says a SAPS statement.

“Three suspects have been taken into custody and will be charged with fraud and charges related to tax evasion.

In one of the warehouses various brands of alcohol including White Horse, Captain Morgan, J&B, Jameson and Smirnoff, destined for export market, were being recapped and several identification marks removed for the purpose of selling them to the local market for cheaper prices.

“It is suspected that they are being purchased at a cheaper price as products intended for export market and thereby fraudulently evading paying tax included at all the goods sold in the local markets.

“In a second warehouse, police seized packing machines, packaged counterfeit spices and packets as well spice powder in hundreds of bags.

“Two suspects were found inside the premises while they were busy producing spices and packing them in packets for a well-known spice company.

“The suspects will be detained at Midrand while police are still conducting further investigations relating to their unlawful activities.”

Source: SAPS