A suspected illicit alcohol operation was uncovered in Durbanville after authorities arrested five Malawian nationals allegedly running an illegal liquor manufacturing setup in the area.
According to the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, metro police neighbourhood safety officers moved in on a residential property on Monday following information supplied by vigilant community members. The alert was made to the city’s public emergency call centre after residents reported suspicious activity at the address.
Officers were granted access to the property and, once inside, uncovered a large-scale operation. The search revealed 11 sizeable drums containing more than 2 000 litres of what is believed to be homemade gin, along with equipment thought to be used for distilling alcohol, as per Times Live. Authorities also found bottles associated with two well-known liquor brands, raising concerns that the alcohol was being packaged to pass off as legitimate products.
Three men and two women, aged between 18 and 39, were taken into custody on charges linked to the illegal production of alcohol, violations of the Counterfeit Goods Act and possession of suspected stolen property. The operation was later handed over to Durbanville SAPS for further investigation.
Smith added that the owner of the property, identified as a Chinese national, has since also been arrested. The seized alcohol will undergo forensic testing, while the suspects are expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Warning of the serious risks involved, Smith stressed that counterfeit alcohol can be highly toxic and pose severe health dangers, commending the officers involved for acting swiftly on community intelligence.
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Picture: JP Smith / Facebook
