Counterfeit goods valued at more than R160 million were seized in the Johannesburg CBD this week during a multi-disciplinary operation targeting the trade in fake goods.
The National Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Unit, backed by Public Order Policing from Pretoria, SARS Customs and private brand protectors, swooped on several shops inside a retail building in the inner city on Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
What they found was a warehouse of fakes.
More than 62 000 counterfeit items were seized – high-end branded clothing, shoes, watches, jewellery, sunglasses and cosmetics – all stacked for sale to unsuspecting consumers.
Police said the operation was executed under search-and-seizure warrants as part of an intensified national drive to dismantle the manufacturing, distribution and sale of counterfeit and illicit goods.
The bust is the latest in a string of multi-million rand seizures in downtown Johannesburg, where entire blocks have been turned into distribution hubs for counterfeit syndicates.
Colonel Amanda van Wyk said the operation forms part of ongoing nationwide efforts to crush the illegal trade.
“Community members are reminded: Counterfeit goods infringe on the intellectual property rights of legitimate brand owners,” Van Wyk said.
She warned that the fake goods flooding the CBD were not just about cheap knock-offs, but posed a direct danger to the public.
“Counterfeit and illicit goods pose serious health and safety risks to consumers. These products are often manufactured and distributed outside regulated systems, with no regard for quality standards, safety, or lawful trade practices,” she said.
Van Wyk said legitimate manufacturers and retailers were bleeding jobs and market share while illegal traders operated with impunity.
“Legitimate manufacturers and retailers lose market share to illegal traders, leading to reduced production and job losses,” she said.
The Johannesburg CBD has become ground zero for the illicit economy.
In recent years, police, SARS and the Department of Home Affairs have repeatedly raided buildings in Small Street, Bree Street, Pritchard Street and surrounding precincts, seizing counterfeit clothing, fake pharmaceuticals, illicit cigarettes and expired foodstuffs worth hundreds of millions.
Yet enforcement remains a cat-and-mouse game. As soon as one building is shut down, traders restock and reopen a few blocks away.
Brand protectors have warned that counterfeit syndicates are highly organised, with supply chains stretching from Asia to Johannesburg via Durban and Beitbridge, and with links to money laundering and tax evasion.
SARS has previously estimated that South Africa loses billions annually in unpaid duties and VAT because of counterfeit and illicit trade.
For consumers, the allure is price. A fake Rolex, Louis Vuitton handbag or Nike sneaker sells for a fraction of the original, while counterfeit cosmetics and perfumes – often made with harmful chemicals – are marketed as authentic in busy retail arcades.
No arrests were confirmed in the statement released on Saturday morning, however police said investigations were continuing and that seized goods would form part of ongoing criminal cases.
