Hawks and SARS raid suspected ethanol storage facility in Kempton Park

A joint operation by the Hawks and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has uncovered what authorities describe as an unlicensed storage facility for imported ethanol in Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg, with investigations continuing into the operation, Joburg {etc} reports.

The raid was carried out on Wednesday, 29 July, by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team based at its Pretoria headquarters alongside SARS officials.

In an update shared by the South African Police Service on its official X account, police said the premises had been identified as a storage site for imported ethanol.

During the operation, investigators found a consignment allegedly being offloaded into 1,000-litre flow bins at what police described as an unlicensed and unregistered facility. Officers also discovered additional flow bins and storage tanks on the property.

Police said no arrests had been made at the time of the operation and that the investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to establish the full scope of the alleged operation.

While police have not disclosed the estimated value of the ethanol recovered, large-scale storage facilities handling imported alcohol products are subject to strict licensing and customs requirements.

Police are expected to provide further updates as investigators continue gathering evidence. 

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Source: SAPS