JOHANNESBURG: More than $200,000 worth of fake sneakers were snatched off the market thanks to customs officials in Johannesburg, South Africa.
South African Revenue Service (SARS) officials found over 2,380 pairs of counterfeit shoes hidden in a cargo shed at O.R. Tambo International Airport. The SARS customs unit announced the seizure today; it took place over Easter weekend.
The stash of fake kicks originated in Hong Kong and was valued at 2.8 million rand, which converts to right around $210,860, based on current exchange rates. Officials called the discovery a “significant seizure.”
“During a routine inspection of a cargo shed at the airport, SARS customs officials intercepted a suspicious consignment weighing 956 kilograms,” said SARS spokesman Sandile Memela. “Upon a detailed inspection, over 2,380 sneakers, worth almost 2.8 million rand, were discovered.”
Now, officials say they’re holding onto the fake kicks, in case the brands involved, which haven’t been named, choose to explore criminal charges.
