Hong Kong Customs seized a total of 829 suspected counterfeit mobile phones with an estimated market value of about $2.3 million in Kwai Chung and To Kwa Wan on September 16.
Customs officers mounted a special anti-counterfeit operation at the devanning area near Kwai Tsing Container Terminals on that day. Through risk assessment and intelligence analysis, Customs officers inspected the inbound cargo from the Mainland of a logistics company and seized 68 suspected counterfeit mobile phones.
After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers arrested a 47-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case at a trading company in To Kwa Wan on the same day. A counterfeit mobile phone storehouse of the trading company was also raided, where a further seizure of 761 suspected counterfeit mobile phones was made.
Customs believes that the company is mainly selling counterfeit mobile phones to overseas customers in the Middle East, Europe and the United States.
The arrested man was released on bail pending further investigation.
Customs will continue to strengthen co-operation with the Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies and take stringent enforcement actions against cross-boundary counterfeit goods activities.
Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Friday, September 18, 2020
