KZN man arrested for allegedly manufacturing, selling fake vodka

Police arrested the 50-year-old man at Illovu township in the Durban south area. He was charged with contravening the Disaster Management Act 2020.

Police arrested the 50-year-old man at Illovu township in the Durban south area. He was charged with contravening the Disaster Management Act 2020.

Published Apr 19, 2020

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Durban - Police have arrested a 50-year-old man for allegedly manufacturing and selling counterfeit alcohol at the Illovu township, just south of Durban. 

The man was nabbed with 196 bottles of empty Smirnoff 1818, 100 litres of Ethanol, a bag filled with Smirnoff 1818 closures and bottles that had been refilled with Smirnoff 1818.

On Sunday, MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, congratulated police for the arrest. 

She said the man faces charges of contravening the Disaster Management Act 2020, manufacturing and selling counterfeit alcohol and selling counterfeit liquor during the lockdown. 

We acknowledge the fact that the liquor industry remains critical in ensuring socio-economic development. Many other sectors of our economy such as tourism, hospitality and entertainment rely heavily on the liquor industry. A thriving liquor industry is therefore in the interest of this province.

"During this period and beyond, we undertake to continue to work with stakeholders to strengthen the control and regulation of liquor through the KwaZulu-Natal Liquor Act," the MEC said. 

She added that through the KZN Liquor Board Authority, an entity under the department, will undertake awareness campaigns in order to educate communities about the Act and lockdown regulations.

"During this period, we have joined forces with law enforcement agencies and industry role players to clamp down on those flouting the regulations and any law of the country," Dube-Ncube said. 

 IOL

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