These images shared on Twitter claim to show counterfeit alcoholic beverages impounded in South Africa. It shows bottles, boxes, and stickers of different alcoholic brands.
Background
A report published by the Euromonitor International shows that the illicit market grew by 10% between 2017 and 2020. A press release published by South African Liquor Brand Owners Association (SALBA) adds that these kinds of products have a devastating impact on the citizen’s health and well-being. It goes on to state that the illicit market is fueled by organized crimes, which have increasingly become more complicated to bring down.
Illicit trade robs South Africa’s economic growth. By February 2022, it was estimated that counterfeit alcohol cost the South African country up to R6.4 billion a year in unpaid excise tax.
Verification
Reverse image searches however show that some of these images were taken in Anyama, Côte d’Ivoire, while others were taken in Cameroon. These five were taken in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire on the night of February 8, 2023, according to these reverse image searches.
These ones on the other hand were taken in Cameroon, during a similar crackdown, on the night of February 9, 2021, according to this reverse image search.
Verdict
These counterfeit alcoholic beverages were not impounded in South Africa.
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