Factory shut down after Nike complaint
Almost R1 million of counterfeit clothing was seized, after the Hawks, acting on complaint from Nike, swooped on a Durban factory.
|||Durban - Almost R1 million of counterfeit clothing was seized this week after the Hawks swooped on a Durban factory.
The factory, which employed about a dozen people, has been closed down and now the fake Nike, Puma, Vans, Levis, Adidas and Roxy branded clothing that was due to hit the streets, will be destroyed, said Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo, for the Hawks Counterfeit Team.
The factory owner is still at large, Mhlongo said.
The raid followed a complaint from the Nike brand holder about street vendors selling their branded shirts in the street.
An operation was mounted and the Nike brand protection manager was also at the scene to identify their brand, Mhlongo said.
The Hawks said n Wednesday that the fake clothing was worth about R900 000.
Officers also seized sewing machines and other equipment used to manufacture the counterfeit clothing.
Arthur Limbouris, who heads New Pier Trading, responsible for Roxy and Quiksilver products, described the raid as “awesome”.
However, he added that the Hawks needed to be more pro-active.
“I am very pleased with the result, but there is more work to be done. This is just the tip of the iceberg,” he said.
Daily News