Six suspects, aged between 26 and 45, were arrested on Thursday for large quantities of illicit alcohol and manufacturing equipment.
Western Cape police said officers followed up information
about a facility illegally manufacturing and distributing alcohol. The members
descended on a farm located in Faure, Stellenbosch, where they uncovered a
fully operational illegal alcohol manufacturing facility inside a building on
the property.
SUPPLIED: Captain Piet Smit‘’Equipment used in the production of counterfeit or unregulated liquor was discovered and includes plastic containers filled with chemicals, hundreds of empty and pre-filled liquor bottles, industrial-grade bottling and capping machinery and boxes. Upon further investigation the members visited a storage facility in Woodstock, Cape Town, where a Chinese national aged 53 was arrested. A substantial quantity of illegal, pre-packaged alcohol was confiscated at the second location, suspected to be ready for distribution,’’ said Captain F.C van Wyk, Western Cape police spokesperson.
SUPPLIED: Captain Piet SmitThe suspects are expected to appear in the Stellenbosch
Magistrate’s Court on charges related to the contravention of the Liquor Act. Van
Wyk says the Chinese suspect will appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on
similar charges.
SUPPLIED: Captain Piet SmitWestern Cape Police Commissioner, Lt Gen (Adv.)Thembisile
Patekile has commended the members involved in this operation
‘’ He said that this confiscation was in line with the
provincial policing approach to close down illegal manufacturing of liquor and
also the distribution of liquor outlets also known as shebeens. These
operations will be sustained in an effort to eradicate alcohol abuse which
remains one of the contributing factors to serious and violent crimes,
especially over weekends,’’ said van Wyk.
Done By: Mitchum George
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