Hong Kong Customs yesterday (May 22) conducted an operation to combat the sale of counterfeit shoes on a social media platform. A total of 156 pairs of suspected counterfeit shoes with an estimated market value of about $400,000 were seized.
Customs earlier received information alleging the sale of suspected counterfeit shoes with a high degree of resemblance at an online shop on a social media platform.
Upon investigation, Customs officers found a seller offering shoes claimed to be genuine for sale at high prices on the social media platform. To evade Customs' tracing, only postal delivery was offered.
After further investigation and with the assistance of trademark owners, Customs officers took enforcement action yesterday and intercepted a man suspected to be connected with the case at a courier service centre in Yuen Long and a small quantity of suspected counterfeit shoes was seized. Later, Customs officers further seized a batch of suspected counterfeit shoes, a batch of packing materials, two mobile phones and a laptop computer at the man's residence in Yuen Long.
Together with the counterfeit shoes involved from the victim, Customs seized a total of 156 pairs of suspected counterfeit shoes. The 24-year-old man was arrested.
Investigation is ongoing.
The Divisional Commander (Intellectual Property Technology Crime Investigation), Mr Lawrence Ng, reminded consumers at a press conference today (May 23) to procure goods at reputable websites or shops and to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt. He also reminded online sellers not to sell counterfeit goods as the sale of counterfeit goods is a serious crime and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.
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 infringing activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, May 23, 2019
