By Mark Ogagan
South African Police Services (SAPS) have seized consignments of illegally imported cell phones, mainly Apple iPhone and Samsung gadgets, and cell phone accessories valued at more than R17 million along with two-way radios, IMEI and ICASA labels during a take down operation conducted in Fordsburg, south of Johannesburg.
This was after a multidisciplinary team acted on intelligence regarding illegally imported electronic devices and related items being stored and sold in a Fordsburg mall.
According to police spokesperson Amanda van Wyk, “More than a thousand non-type approved devices and related items were confiscated for being in contravention of the Customs and Excise Act and the Electronic Communications Act.
“A non-type approved cell phone is any device that has not been certified by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). Majority of the seized devices included Apple iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones. Also amongst the seized items are ICASA and IMEI labels, two-way radios, and other cell phone accessories.”
Van Wyk added, “According to Section 35 of the Electronic Communications Act: No person may use, supply, sell, offer for sale, lease, or hire any type of electronic communications equipment or electronic communications facility, including radio apparatus, used or to be used in connection with the provision of electronic communications, unless such equipment, electronic communications facility or radio apparatus has been approved by the Authority.”
All confiscated items have been transported to ICASA’s storage facility for safekeeping and further analysis, while investigation remains ongoing.
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