The South African Police Services (Saps) have seized illegally imported smartphones, mainly Apple iPhones, Samsung gadgets, and mobile phone accessories valued at more than R17 million.
Officers also seized two-way radios, IMEI and ICASA labels during a takedown operation conducted in Fordsburg, Johannesburg, this week.
Police said a multidisciplinary team acted on intelligence indicating that illegally imported electronic devices and related items were being stored and sold at a Fordsburg mall.
Apple iPhones
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk said the operation comprised members from the Saps Commercial Crime Investigation Unit, border policing, the Johannesburg Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC), the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), and private security personnel.
“More than a thousand non-type-approved devices and related items were confiscated for being in contravention of the Customs and Excise Act and the Electronic Communications Act.
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Not approved
A non-type-approved cell phone is any device that has not been certified by Icasa.
“The majority of the seized devices included Apple iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones. Also amongst the seized items are ICASA and IMEI labels, two-way radios, and other cell phone accessories,” Van Wyk said.
According to Section 35 of the Electronic Communications Act: “No person may use, supply, sell, offer for sale, lease, or hire any type of electronic communications equipment or electronic communications facility, including radio apparatus, used or to be used in connection with the provision of electronic communications, unless such equipment, electronic communications facility or radio apparatus has been approved by the Authority.”
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Investigations
Van Wyk said all confiscated items have been transported to ICASA’s storage facility for safekeeping and further analysis.
“The investigation remains ongoing.”
Foreign national arrested
This is not the first time police have seized fake Apple products.
After a tip-off from tech giant Apple, in August, the Hawks raided a store in the Eastern Cape and arrested a 33-year-old Indian national with counterfeit Apple merchandise with an estimated value of R60 000.
Apple
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba said the action follows a detailed investigation sparked by a complaint from Apple, the global technology company based in Cupertino, California, in the US.
“Apple had raised concerns after counterfeit iPhone merchandise was suspected of being sold at a local outlet of a company in Summerstrand Village, Gqeberha.
Fumba said that after confirmation that the items were counterfeit, the matter was then referred to the Hawks for further investigation.
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