Four people, including three undocumented foreign nationals, are set to appear in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court today after their arrest in connection with the illegal manufacturing of fake hair products. The suspects were detained at a residence in Somerset Place, Farningham Ridge, following an investigation that began with the theft of a flow bin in Westmead on Sunday. Acting on intelligence, police traced the stolen item to the house, where further inspections uncovered a larger illegal operation.
Upon searching the property, authorities discovered that the house was being used as a manufacturing site for counterfeit hair products. Colonel Robert Netshiunda, a police spokesperson, confirmed that the barcodes on the products did not match the products they were meant to represent, indicating that the goods were being falsely branded. During the search, police also found undocumented foreign nationals hiding in the ceiling, further complicating the case.
In addition to the foreign nationals, two women were arrested, one of whom was also a foreign national. The house, which was being used for this illicit operation, is reportedly owned by a pastor who is also a foreign national. Police also seized a number of invoices during the operation, which revealed that the counterfeit hair products had been sold to well-known wholesalers, retail stores, and hair salons in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the case and are actively searching for the owner of the property, who remains at large. This discovery highlights a growing concern about counterfeit goods being produced and distributed in South Africa, particularly in the beauty industry, and underscores the importance of ongoing vigilance in tackling organized crime linked to illicit manufacturing operations.
