A targeted police operation in the Lingelethu West policing precinct on Wednesday, 3 December 2025, led to the seizure of illicit liquor and the dismantling of an illegal alcohol manufacturing plant.
The operation commenced with a roadblock conducted by Lingelethu West SAPS members on Spine Road in Khayelitsha. During the stop, officers searched a silver Hyundai i20. A search of the vehicle revealed four boxes of Old Buck Gin. The occupants of the vehicle were unable to provide a legitimate account for the liquor in their possession.
Information gleaned from this initial discovery prompted further investigation, directing police to a premises in Lansdowne. There, officers uncovered a fully operational illegal alcohol manufacturing facility. The raid yielded manufacturing equipment, an assortment of counterfeit alcohol branding stickers, and quantities of unknown liquids suspected to be used in production.
Two suspects, aged 26 and 39, were arrested at the scene. They are facing charges for the illegal manufacturing and distribution of liquor. The suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to appear in the Khayelitsha Magistrates’ Court once formal charges have been laid.