The Eastern Cape Liquor Board has rung alarms over how the prevalent manufacturing and selling of fake and illegal alcohol has continued to be a health risk for the public.
This comes as members of the Qonce Crime Prevention Unit were at hand on Tuesday evening to arrest a foreign national who was nabbed by police after he was found with two cases of Old Buck and Gordin's gin spirits.
The 30-year-old foreign national was first apprehended in Qonce CBD and later took police to the tavern he is alleged of running in Tshatshu.
A further R1,600 that could not be accounted for by the suspect was seized by police, adding to the cases which were said to be at a street value of R1,200.
Eastern Cape Liquor Board spokesperson Dr Mgwebi Msiya said that such operations (of fake alcohol) affected not only the competition space in the liquor industry but put consumers under threat and in grave danger as the alcohol that was illegally produced was untested and unregulated.
Msiya further said that the alcohol was "deadly" and that consumers should always be on the lookout for outlets which were sold at lower than market prices as they were usually the tell signs that the product was unregulated.
The selling of illicit liquor products has a huge impact on liquor industry as it among other things, presents unfair competition by selling fake products at an incredibly reduced price," Msiya said.
"Further these products are also deadly and unfortunately reflect on the industry as the main source while they are fake products.
"We urge people to refrain from selling these illicit liquor outlets as they can be deadly to our people," he said.
Msiya further warned that as the festive season was approaching, it was best that people remain vigilant and report any outlets suspected of manufacturing, handing, and selling fake alcohol as it was a criminal offence to do so.
"We further encourage our people to always be on the alert, especially where prices of the liquor products are ridiculously low compared to the normal prices," Msiya said.
"That should raise concern to our people and should immediately report such cases to the nearest police station.
"As the Festive Season is fast approaching, people must be extra vigilant and ensure that buy liquor from legitimate outlets and check prices that may suggest something untoward," he said.
Provincial police spokesperson Captain Mluleki Mbi confirmed the arrest of the foreign national.
"Police can confirm that a 30-year-old male foreign national was arrested in the Qonce CBD Tuesday, at approximately 12 noon.
"This follows after members of the Qonce Crime Prevention Unit received information about a suspected vehicle in a mall parking area that was allegedly being used to sell alcohol," Mbi said.
"Upon searching the vehicle, they found six cases of Gordon’s Gin and six cases of Old Buck, as well as R1 600 for which the suspect could not provide a satisfactory account.
"The BCM Health and Counterfeit Units were activated and confirmed that the items were counterfeit goods.
"A further search was conducted at Tshatshu Location, Zwelitsha, where the suspect runs a tavern," he said.
The suspect, who cannot be named until he appears before court is set to make his first appearance in a date yet unconfirmed at the Qonce Magistrate’s Court, as he faces a charge of contravening the Customs and Excise Act.
The arrest comes in a year where in Stutterheim, police arrested six people linked to the production of counterfeit alcohol with an estimated street value of R500,000.
In the same bust, police seized R6,570 in cash which was unaccounted for.
Police recovered manufacturing equipment, large water drums, sealed bottles of alcohol, including Old Buck and Gordon’s brands, as well as empty bottles and new lids.
In a separate case, an Eastern Cape police officer was among four suspects arrested during counterfeit alcohol operations conducted in Ngqamakhwe, Butterworth and Msobomvu township.
The operation saw police seize 175 bottles of Gordon’s Dry Gin, nine bottles of Old Buck Gin, five 25l containers of Old Buck Gin, glue guns, funnels, empty bottles, gin caps and other manufacturing equipment.
Msiya said that there was no direct link between the manufacturing of illegal alcohol and the prefence of Gordin's and Old Buck Gin spirits.
However, he urged consumers to report cases of illegal alcohol to their nearest police stations.
Daily Dispatch