Pinetown – Police have uncovered a counterfeit hair product manufacturing operation in Somerset Place, Farningham Ridge, Pinetown.
The discovery was made on Tuesday afternoon, November 26, 2024, while officers were investigating the theft of a flowbin reported in Westmead two days prior.
The stolen flowbin was recovered at the residence, which was found to be functioning as a factory for illicit and counterfeit hair products.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that an investigation revealed the barcodes on the seized products matched those of legitimate items from a North American country.
#sapsKZN Police were following up information about a flowbin which was reported stolen in Westmead on Sunday, 24 November 2024. Intelligence led the police to a house in Somerset Place in Pinetown where the stolen flowbin was recovered. During the search, police found that the… pic.twitter.com/6At0C63TPQ
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) November 26, 2024
“Initial investigation revealed that the barcodes on the products are of a different product from a North American country. Two undocumented foreign nationals were found hiding in the ceiling and were arrested. Two women, one of them a foreign national were also arrested.
“The house is owned by a foreign national, a known pastor who has a church in Umbilo. His vehicle, which was branded with the photographs of himself and his wife, as well as pictures of various brands of the hair products, was found parked in the yard,” Netshiunda said.
Invoices found on-site suggest the counterfeit products were sold to wholesalers, retail stores, and hair salons, with distribution concentrated in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
The four suspects, aged between 34 and 37, are scheduled to appear in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, November 27, 2024. Meanwhile, police have launched a search for the pastor, the registered owner of the property.
Investigations are ongoing as police work to determine the full scope of the operation and its supply chain.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
