Gauteng Police have arrested nine foreign nationals at an illegal alcohol plant in Westonaria on Thursday. Provincial Police Commissioner General Tommy Mthombeni has placed the value of the fake alcohol at approximately R1 million.

Two Taiwanese, six Malawians and a Mozambican were arrested when police pounced on the warehouse where the fake alcohol was manufactured. The plant has been operating for over 10 months now.

Police say they got a tipoff from the aggrieved employees of the plant complaining about unfair labour practice and exploitation. They decided to alert the men and women in blue about the misdeeds that were taking place in the quiet suburb of Westonaria.

“The employees’ exploitation … they were subjected to unfair wages, subjected to excessive working hours and to unsafe conditions. So, they went to the nearest police station, and they reported the matter to the police hence we had such a discovery of this illegal plant here at the Westonaria,” says Mthombeni.

The police chief says trade in illegal alcohol is robbing the fiscus.

“In terms of the set up here, you could estimate it to roughly a million rand. This means that South Africa has lost revenue in terms of the tax of which, in terms of this illicit trade, South Africa is losing billions of rands,” Mthombeni added.

Those who work closer to this place – now declared a crime scene – say they were not suspicious of any illegal activities taking place there. The place has been quiet for some time.

They suspected no debasement behind the closed doors of the premises.

“We were told that this place is being renovated and that the new company was taking over. We heard that the new company will be selling cold drinks. We were not suspecting anything at all,” says one of those who lived near the place.

Those who are in the know say consuming fake alcohol can be deadly. They are urging law enforcement agencies to deal with the illicit trade of fake alcoholic beverages heads on.

Mthombeni says some of the charges they will consider, are kidnapping and employing undocumented foreign nationals. This is the second bust in Westonaria in less than a week.

Last week, police made a R10 million drug bust at a lab in the area which led to the arrest of two suspects.

The law enforcement authorities will continue to monitor suspicious areas in and around Gauteng.