Hong Kong Customs raided six shops in Sham Shui Po and seized six memory cards preloaded with suspected infringing songs, five sets of computers and six mobile phones, worth about $20,000 in an operation yesterday (July 22). During the operation, 12 men aged between 19 and 51, including eight salesmen and four shop supervisors, were arrested.
It was the first time that Customs detected shops selling mobile phones together with memory cards preloaded with suspected infringing songs.
The Group Head of Intellectual Property Investigation (Operations), Acting Superintendent Mr Michael Kwan, at a press conference on the operation today (July 23) said that Customs carried out investigations after having detected the sale of mobile phones together with suspected infringing songs by some shops in the market earlier.
Following in-depth investigation, officers of the Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau, posing as customers, bought the mobile phones together with the memory cards preloaded with suspected infringing songs at the target shops yesterday and immediately took enforcement actions. During the operation, Customs officers seized six memory cards preloaded with suspected infringing songs, five sets of computers used for loading suspected infringing songs onto the memory cards and six mobile phones, worth about $20,000, in six shops in Sham Shui Po. Each set of mobile phone sold together with memory cards preloaded with suspected infringing songs was valued from about $400 to $900. Twelve men aged between 19 and 51, including eight salesmen and four shop supervisors, were arrested. They are on bail pending further investigations.
Mr Kwan said the Customs will continue the enforcement action. Specifically, Customs will strengthen the strategic patrols at hot shopping spots and combat infringing activities, including the selling of pirated goods, during summer.
He stressed that sale of pirated discs is a serious crime and offenders would have a criminal record when convicted. He appealed to people not to take part in the illegal activities.
Under the Copyright Ordinance, a person commits an offence if he possesses an infringing copy for commercial purpose. The maximum penalty is an imprisonment for four years and a fine of $50,000 per infringing copy.
Any person who comes across any suspected piracy activity is encouraged to report to the Customs by calling the 24-hour hotline 2545 6182
Ends/Saturday, July 23, 2011
