Season 1 Episode 4

CGCSA presents - Waal de Waal and Jarred West on South Africa's illicit economy

05 November 2026 · 25:04 min

South Africa’s illicit economy is increasingly operating like organised business, with sophisticated supply chains, financing, logistics, and distribution.

Waal de Waal, Chief Operating Officer at Bidvest Proteacoin, and Jarred West, Partner at Spoor & Fisher, explain how organised economic crime… has evolved far beyond isolated counterfeit goods and smuggling.

They discuss the networks behind counterfeit products, illicit fuel, cross-border crime, money laundering, and the movement of criminal proceeds. West also explains why counterfeit pharmaceuticals, vehicle parts, electronics, and other goods can create serious risks for ordinary South Africans who may not even realise they are buying fake products.

The conversation examines weaknesses in enforcement, intelligence gathering, border controls, and prosecution, as well as why fragmented responses allow criminal syndicates to keep adapting. De Waal and West argue that stronger collaboration between business, law enforcement, SARS, regulators, and specialist investigators is essential.

0:00 Intro
1:03 When illicit trade becomes organised crime
3:01 Following the counterfeit supply chain
4:46 Why counterfeit goods threaten consumers
7:58 How criminal syndicates diversify
10:51 Tracking illegal fuel networks
13:07 Following the money
19:46 What it will take to fight illicit trade

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