Two foreign nationals have been arrested for manufacturing fake foam bath and dishwashing liquid in Windmill Park informal settlement, Ekurhuleni.
The suspects, aged between 37 and 50, were arrested on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, by members of the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team based at its headquarters, working with Public Order Policing members from Springs.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Christopher Singo said the arrests followed information received from a brandholder about a suspected makeshift facility allegedly being used to manufacture detergents and foam bath products.
Singo said police subsequently visited two properties in the Windmill Park informal settlement, where they discovered large quantities of chemicals and finished cleaning products.
The recovered products included thick bleach, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid and foam bath.
According to Singo, the chemicals were allegedly mixed in 200-litre barrels before being repackaged into recycled containers carrying labels of well-known brands manufactured by Unilever and Colgate-Palmolive.
Among the chemicals seized were caustic soda, Kulubrite, soda ash light, sodium hypochlorite and sodium chloride, which are commonly used in the manufacture of detergents and soaps.
Singo said police also confiscated containers that had not yet been cleaned and were allegedly intended for reuse in the repackaging process.
He said all seized chemicals and finished products would undergo forensic chemical analysis to determine their composition and establish whether the products are counterfeit and in breach of applicable legislation.
The two suspects are expected to appear in the Vosloorus Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 19 August 2026.
The investigation is continuing.
