Police seize R171 000 in counterfeit goods at 10 Gauteng shops
Gauteng police have confiscated thousands of counterfeit and illicit items worth an estimated R171 085 in two operations targeting shops in Meyerton and Alberton.
Police in Gauteng have taken thousands of fake and illegal products off shop shelves in two operations south of Johannesburg, according to SAnews.
The goods, with a combined estimated value of R171 085, were seized from ten shops in Meyerton and Alberton.
Meyerton operation
The first raid took place last Friday. Officers from the Gauteng Counterfeit Unit, working with a brand protector, visited five shops in Meyerton, which falls under the Sedibeng District.
They confiscated 274 counterfeit items worth R61 790. Of these, 160 were consumable products valued at R1 840, while 114 were textile items valued at R59 950.
Alberton operation
A second raid followed on Monday, 9 November 2026. This time the unit was joined by the Department of Agriculture as well as a brand protector, and it checked five shops in Alberton, in the Ekurhuleni District.
Police said this raid yielded 3 855 items worth R109 295. The haul included:
- 3 166 counterfeit consumable products
- 14 phone accessories
- 41 toys and games
- 15 textile items
Officers also took 223 illicit poison products, 251 illicit honey products and 145 illicit pharmaceutical products during the Alberton operation.
Added together, the two raids netted 4 129 items. SAPS said Gauteng police remain committed to disrupting the distribution and sale of such goods.
What this means for you
Police have asked the public to help. If you suspect a business of selling counterfeit or illicit goods, you can report it at your nearest police station.
The report did not say whether anyone had been arrested or charged, and it gave no names of the shops involved. Those details were not part of the police statement.
This story is based on reporting by SAnews.
