Hawks seize about R7m in suspected counterfeit goods from Gqeberha shop

The Hawks have seized suspected counterfeit branded merchandise valued at about R7 million from a retail outlet in Gqeberha, and two shop owners have been served with summons for alleged contraventions of the Counterfeit Goods Act.

Search and seizure in Gelvandale

The operation was conducted on 16 September at a shop called Sneaker Freakz, located at the corner of Bell and Beetlestone roads in Gelvandale, Gqeberha, the Eastern Cape Hawks said.

How the investigation began

Eastern Cape Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said the investigation by the Gqeberha Serious Commercial Crime Investigation (SCCI) unit started after test purchases by a representative of affected brand holders.

In June, a test purchase produced sneakers suspected to be counterfeit Adidas products. A later test purchase returned sneakers suspected to be counterfeit Nike products and Lacoste T‑shirts, the Hawks said.

Enforcement and legal steps

The Hawks, working with Spoor & Fisher and relevant stakeholders from the Department of Justice, obtained a search warrant that enabled the search-and-seizure operation. A substantial quantity of merchandise suspected to be counterfeit was recovered and seized.

Mhlakuvana said the estimated value of the confiscated stock is R7 million and that the merchandise was secured for further examination.

Summons and court date

The investigation identified the two suspects as the owners of the retail shop. Both, described as being between 30 and 40 years old, were served with summons and are expected to appear in the Gqeberha New Law Court on 29 October.

Regional context

The Hawks noted that the illicit trade and distribution of counterfeit branded merchandise is primarily concentrated in Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu‑Natal and the Western Cape.

“A painstaking investigation by the joint team identified the suspects as the owners of the retail shop,” Mhlakuvana said.