CCN Reporter – George C April
Paarl:- In a significant operation, the Provincial Counterfeit and Illicit Goods policing team, working with the Anti-Economic Crimes Task Team, seized illicit liquor valued at R9.75 million from a warehouse in Paarl.
Acting on credible intelligence, officers linked a suspect who operates a liquor outlet in Stellenbosch to a secure warehouse in Paarl.
On Thursday, 4 June 2026, members spotted the suspect’s vehicle en route to Paarl. They monitored its movements as it entered the premises. When the vehicle later exited, police attempted to stop it, but the driver accelerated away, sparking a high-speed chase.
The vehicle eventually came to a stop, and the driver fled on foot. Police gave chase and successfully apprehended him, while two other occupants remained inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a large quantity of illicit liquor. Officers immediately alerted the SARS Customs Unit.
The teams then moved to the warehouse, where additional consignments of illicit liquor were discovered and confiscated.
Three Chinese nationals were arrested at the scene. They are expected to appear in the Paarl Magistrate’s Court once formally charged.
The operation forms part of ongoing efforts to combat the illicit trade in counterfeit and smuggled goods, which undermines legitimate businesses and deprives the state of significant revenue.
#StopIllicitTrade
Source: SAP
