Seven in Court for Rebranding Expired Lucky Star Fish
SOUTH AFRICA- Seven undocumented migrants will appear in court on Wednesday. Police arrested them during a raid on a factory in Gauteng. The factory was reportedly repackaging and changing the expiry dates on expired Lucky Star canned fish.
Captain Tintswalo Sibeko, a spokesperson for the Gauteng provincial police, confirmed the court appearance. The seven individuals will go before the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court. They are all between the ages of 18 and 29, and the owner of the factory is still missing.
On November 11, 2024, a joint operation by Crime Intelligence from Zamdela, Sasolburg, and SAPS Kliprivier led to the raid.
Police found a large amount of counterfeit Lucky Star pilchards and equipment used to change expiry dates on the cans. The altered cans were packed in boxes labeled as “Woolworths Food.”
Authorities have opened cases for breaking the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, possession of stolen property, and violations of the Immigration Act.
This incident follows a previous report where the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) arrested two foreign nationals linked to an illegal potato chips factory. In that case, police found that the business did not have the right documents and employed illegal immigrants.
Community members are worried about food safety, claiming that local spaza shops are selling expired and fake food products, which have led to recent food-related illnesses in Gauteng.
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