Hong Kong Customs and the Police today (Jan 19) conducted a large-scale joint operation codenamed "Skyhawk" targeting three upstairs showrooms selling counterfeit products, and street-level touting activities in Tsim Sha Tsui.
During the operation, 600 pieces of counterfeit watches and 400 pieces of leather goods were seized with total worth of about $340,000.
Ten men, aged between 20 and 59, were arrested. They will face trial at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (January 20).
Briefing the media today, the Group Head of the Intellectual Property Investigation (Operations) of Hong Kong Customs, Mr Albert Ho, said, "Customs and Police are fully committed to rooting out the selling of counterfeit products in the Tsim Sha Tsui District.
In the joint operations conducted in the past two years, over 21 persons were arrested while over $1 million worth of counterfeit products were seized.
Also attending the press briefing was the Divisional Commander of the Tsim Sha Tsui Division of the Hong Kong Police Force, Mr Peter J Barnes.
Both law enforcement agencies found that, under stringent crackdowns, offenders had recently changed to rent upstairs showrooms keeping smaller stock of counterfeit goods in order to minimise lose when smashed, and had increased street-level touting activities to lure tourists on the street to patronise the showrooms.
As a result, Customs and Police mounted today's operations to bust such illicit activities and to uphold the reputation of Hong Kong as a "shopping paradise for genuine goods".
Any person who contravenes the Trade Descriptions Ordinance is liable to prosecution. The maximum penalty is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Hong Kong Customs reminded the public to report any cases of suspected counterfeiting activities to the Department by calling the 24-hour hotline 2545 6182.
Ends/Wednesday, January 19, 2005