Hong Kong Customs seized about 320 000 items of suspected counterfeit and smuggled sunglasses and mobile phone cases with an estimated market value of about $6 million from a container at the Customs Cargo Examination Compound of the River Trade Terminal in Tuen Mun on August 1.
Through risk assessment, Customs officers inspected a Uruguay-bound 40-foot-long container that arrived in Hong Kong from Nansha, Guangdong. The suspected counterfeit and smuggled goods were seized from the container as a result.
Investigation is ongoing.
Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trademark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting and smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Monday, August 5, 2019
