Nine Foreign Nationals Arrested At An Illegal Alcohol Plant

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.