Durbanville Moonshine: Five busted for illegal gin-making operation
What appeared to be an ordinary residential property in Durbanville has been exposed as the site of a large-scale illegal gin operation.
City of Cape Town authorities have seized more than 2 000 litres of homemade alcohol while arresting five suspects during a raid on an illegal booze operation in Durbanville.
The bust followed a community tip-off to the City’s Public Emergency Call Centre, where residents reported suspicious activity at a home.
Metro Police Neighbourhood Safety Officers (NSOs) were dispatched to investigate and, with permission to enter the premises, quickly uncovered a sophisticated illicit setup.
What officers discovered
Inside the property, officers found 11 large drums filled with homemade gin, as well as equipment believed to have been used to distil the alcohol.
Investigators also discovered a collection of empty bottles from two popular gin brands, raising concerns that the counterfeit gin was being repackaged and passed off as legitimate products for sale.
Five foreign nationals – three men and two women, aged between 18 and 39, were arrested at the scene.
The group faces multiple charges, including the illegal manufacture of alcohol, contraventions of the Counterfeit Goods Act, and possession of suspected stolen property.
Fake gin poses potential health risks
The case was handed over to Durbanville SAPS for further investigation. Police later confirmed that the homeowner, a Chinese national, was also arrested in connection with the operation.
All six suspects were set to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Samples of the seized liquor will undergo forensic testing to determine its exact composition and whether it poses a health risk to the public.
City of Cape Town Mayco member for Safety and Security JP Smith warned that counterfeit alcohol is not only illegal, but extremely dangerous.
“It often contains toxic substances like, methanol, isopropanol, and acetone,” he said. “These substances can lead to severe health issues, including organ failure and even death.”
“Kudos to our NSOs for their vigilance and swift action!”
This article has been sourced from various publicly available news platforms around the world. All intellectual property rights remain with the original publishers and authors. Unshared News does not claim ownership of the content and provides it solely for informational and educational purposes voluntarily. If you are the rightful owner and believe this content has been used improperly, please contact us for prompt removal or correction.
