Hong Kong Customs seized a total of about 4 000 items of suspected counterfeit mobile phones and accessories with an estimated market value of about $1.1 million in Kwai Chung and Tsim Sha Tsui on May 28.
Customs officers mounted a special anti-counterfeit operation at the devanning area of Container Port Road South, Kwai Chung, on that day. Through risk assessment and intelligence analysis, Customs officers inspected an inbound express cargo of a logistics company arriving in Hong Kong from the Mainland and seized about 500 items of suspected counterfeit mobile phones and accessories.
After follow-up investigation, Customs officers arrested a 35-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman suspected to be in connection with the case at a trading company in Tsim Sha Tsui on the same day. Two counterfeit mobile phones and accessories storehouses of the trading company were also smashed. A further seizure of about 3 500 items of suspected counterfeit mobile phones and accessories was made.
Customs believes that the company involved was targeting overseas customers to provide them with mobile phone repair services using counterfeit parts and to sell them counterfeit mobile phones and accessories.
The arrested persons were released on bail pending further enquiries. Investigation is ongoing.
Customs will continue to strengthen co-operation with the Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies and take stringent enforcement actions against cross-boundary counterfeit goods activities.
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 counterfeiting activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, June 2, 2020
