SARS busts fake shoes smugglers at Lebombo border post worth R3 million

As travellers visit different destinations this festive season, SARS officials are also working hard around the clock and confiscated fake shoes.

The counterfeit shoes are worth R3 million as they were recently confiscated at the Lebombo border post which borders Mozambique and South Africa.

SARS announced that they have seized possible counterfeit shoes with an estimated value of R3 million and worked with officers from the Customs Detector Dog Unit (DDU) at the Lebombo border post at the weekend.

SARS released a media statement confirming that said the officers searched a truck with two trailers entering South Africa.

“The DDU found 5237 pairs of various branded (possibly counterfeit) shoes and sandals. The items were found loaded in the back of the trailers of the truck,” read the statement.

“The shoes were handed over to the South African Customs State Warehouse for further processing and engagement with the relevant brand holders for confirmation of the authenticity of the items.”

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter has since praised officers and the DDU for their vigilance in preventing illicit and counterfeit goods from entering the country.

“The lawful production of clothing and textile industry in the country needs to be supported and SARS has shown once again that it is playing its part to foster industrial growth and job creation,” he said.

“While we have made it easy and simple to comply, we will not tolerate criminals and syndicates that impede the economic prosperity of our country and the well-being of our citizens.”

Kieswetter insisted that the revenue tax collector is determined to give meaning to its strategic objectives of making non-compliance hard and costly for any person who transgresses the law.

BusinessTech Africa previously posted that SARS welcomed the arrest of one of its employees who was jailed for seven years.

SARS said anyone who broke the law deserved the heaviest sentence as SARS commissioner Kieswetter responded to it.

It is widely reported in South Africa that SARS officer, Malatse Kolokoto, was found guilty after being caught on CCTV accepting a bribe to help an unnamed traveller.