The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has uncovered a large-scale illicit operation involving the re-labelling of expired food products and the storage of suspected stolen municipal infrastructure during a high-impact service delivery operation in the inner city.
JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla said, officers were conducting routine high-impact enforcement operations in the Johannesburg CBD when they observed informal traders operating from trolleys in violation of city bylaws.
“As officers approached to conduct compliance checks, several individuals abandoned their trolleys and fled into a nearby building at the corner of Edith Cavell and Plein Streets,” said Fihla.
Officers pursued the suspects into the premises, where they reportedly discovered a makeshift counterfeit packaging facility. Inside the building, authorities found large quantities of expired perishable goods, including yoghurt and juice products.
According to Fihla, the investigations at the scene revealed a deliberate system of tampering with food expiry dates: “What officers uncovered is deeply concerning. There is strong evidence suggesting that chemical thinners were being used to erase original expiry dates, which were then replaced with falsified labels extending the shelf life of expired products.”
In addition to the food items, officers also discovered bundles of cut electrical cables inside the premises. These are suspected to be stolen municipal infrastructure, a crime that continues to contribute to power disruptions and damage to city services.
“The discovery of suspected stolen electrical cables alongside expired food products points to coordinated criminal activity that threatens both public health and essential infrastructure,” Fihla added.
No arrests have been made yet, but JMPD says investigations are ongoing and efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those responsible. The seized goods and cables have been confiscated for further forensic and health inspection analysis.
JMPD Chief of Police, Commissioner Patrick Jaca, visited the scene shortly after the discovery to assess the operation.
“What we uncovered today is not just a violation of municipal bylaws, but a direct and dangerous assault on the health and safety of our residents. Selling expired food by maliciously altering dates shows a complete disregard for human life. Furthermore, finding suspected stolen electrical cables on the same premises underscores how these illicit networks damage our city’s infrastructure. We are intensifying our high-impact operations, and we will not hesitate to clamp down on those who exploit our inner city for criminal gains,” said Jaca.
The JMPD has urged members of the public to remain cautious when purchasing goods from informal or unregulated vendors, and to report suspicious activity to the JMPD hotline on 011 375 5918 or 0800 002 587.
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