Two suspected masterminds of an illegal liquor manufacturing syndicate were arrested and appeared in the Harrismith Magistrates’ court.
On 20 September, the provincial organised crime unit and the provincial tracking and tracing team were led to Harrismith where Faeem Zuber Mohamed (30) and Ting Zhuang (31) were arrested for purportedly being part of the syndicate accused of manufacturing and being in possession of counterfeit liquor.
The duo made their first court appearance on 21 September, and are two of seven suspects that were arrested on 27 May, after an illegal liquor manufacturing warehouse was discovered in Wilgepark, Harrismith.
The warehouse was equipped with labelling machines, packaging material, counterfeit liquor products, fraudulent labels, and other materials with an estimated value of about R30 million.
All items were seized by a multi-disciplinary approach team led by Harrismith detectives when they were arrested.
All the suspects are facing charges of fraud, forgery, money laundering, as well as contravention of among others the Counterfeit Goods Act and Customs and Excise Act. Additional charges may be added as the investigation unfolds.
The two will appear in the Harrismith Magistrates’ Court for a formal bail application on Thursday.
