The counterfeit goods, imported from China, was estimated at R354 000 Picture of a Hermes sun hat used for illustration. Picture: Facebook/Hermes
Fifty-nine counterfeit Burberry and 59 Hermes branded sun hats bound from China have been confiscated by Hawks members from Durban Serious Commercial Crime Investigation.
According to the Hawks, on Tuesday the unit successfully executed a search warrant at the freight station container depot in Durban. The confiscated counterfeit goods, imported from China, was valued at around R354 000.
"The intercepted container was initially stopped and inspected by the border police in October 2023, and samples were drawn from the cargo for further analysis. The confiscated goods included 59 Burberry and 59 Hermes branded sun hats, which were determined to be counterfeit through the verification process by the brand attorneys," said the Hawks in a statement.
The KwaZulu-Natal Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Provincial Head, Major General (Dr) Lesetja Senona, congratulated the members for the good work.
He said the discovery and confiscation represented a significant step forward in the fight against intellectual property infringement and the proliferation of counterfeit goods in KZN.