Hong Kong Customs yesterday (October 26) arrested an 18-year-old man suspected of selling infringing computer software products on the Internet. The department urged young people to respect intellectual property rights and not engage in any kind of infringing activities, including those involving the use of Internet.
Divisional Commander (Copyright Investigation), Mr Kwan Yuk-kwan, said at a press conference today (October 27) that Customs previously received reports concerning the sale of infringing computer software products at local online discussion forum. After investigation by Customs officers of the Anti-Internet Piracy Team, the suspect was arrested at his residence and two computers were seized.
Customs found that there were messages on the local online discussion forum on the sale of suspected infringing software for $300. The relevant software would be uploaded onto the forum for customers' downloading upon the receipt of payment.
A Customs officer, posing as a customer, contacted the suspect and deposited the money into a bank account. After downloading the software successfully yesterday morning and confirming that it was a right-infringing version, Customs officers took immediate action and arrested the man at his Ma On Shan residence. He was on bail at $1,000 for further investigation.
Mr Kwan reminded youth to respect intellectual property rights and not to take part in any infringing activities. Any person taking part in online infringing activities will be subject to criminal liability as well as civil litigation. Under the Copyright Ordinance, any person, without the licence of the copyright owner of a copyright work, possesses an infringing copy for commercial purpose, or distributes an infringing copy of the work to such an extent as to affect prejudicially the copyright owner commits a criminal offence. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for four years and a fine of $50,000 per infringing copy.
Any person who comes across any information of infringing activities is encouraged to report to Customs by calling the 24-hour hotline 2545 6182.
Ends/Tuesday, October 27, 2009