Pakistani National Fined R5,000 for Selling Counterfeit Samsung Goods in Athlone - South Africa Today
The Athlone Magistrates’ Court has sentenced 42-year-old Kashief Mehmood to a fine of R5,000 for contravening the Counterfeit Goods Act (Act 37 of 1997).
The case dates back to April 2023 when members of the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in Bellville executed a search and seizure warrant at a business owned by a Pakistani national on Hazel Road in Athlone.
During the operation, law enforcement confiscated various counterfeit Samsung-branded items, including headphones, chargers, earpods, memory cards, flash drives, cellphone batteries, and cellphone covers. The total estimated value of the seized goods was R703,218.
On 26 May 2023, Mehmood was served with summonses for 1,908 charges related to the distribution of counterfeit goods for trade purposes. In addition to the criminal proceedings, the counterfeit items were forfeited to the brand holder following civil proceedings.
The court’s ruling underscores the ongoing efforts by authorities to clamp down on the trade of counterfeit goods in South Africa.
