Hong Kong Customs conducted a three-week enforcement operation codenamed "Nunchaku" from October 22 to November 11 to combat counterfeit goods activities involving cross-boundary transshipments during the Double 11 Festival shopping period. During the operation, Customs detected 35 related cases and seized about 3.25 million items of suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of over $90 million. One person involved in the cases was arrested.
Customs discovered that criminals intended to ship counterfeit goods abroad via Hong Kong to meet the huge shopping demand during the Double 11 Festival. As such, through risk assessment, Customs inspected seven containers at the Tuen Mun River Trade Terminal Customs Cargo Examination Compound and two incoming lorries at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point Inbound Cargo Examination Building. After inspection, Customs officers seized a total of about 78 000 suspected counterfeit goods with a total estimated market value of about $27 million.
Moreover, through intelligence analysis and detailed investigations, 26 related cases were uncovered in a number of local logistics companies. In the operation, Customs officers mounted strike-and-search actions against about 30 logistics companies in Kwai Chung, Tsing Yi, Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan, seizing about 3.17 million suspected counterfeit goods, including watches, footwear, clothing and glasses, with a total estimated market value of about $63 million.
Investigations into the above-mentioned cases are ongoing. One person involved in the cases was arrested, and he has been released on bail pending further investigation.
Customs appeals to consumers to purchase goods from reputable shops or websites and to check with trademark or copyright owners or authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt to avoid buying counterfeit or infringing goods.
Customs reminds practitioners in the logistics industry to comply with the requirements of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) and to check with trademark owners or authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt when handling cargoes. The department also reminds traders or online sellers not to sell counterfeit or infringing goods and to be cautious in merchandising since selling counterfeit or infringing goods is a serious crime and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.
Customs will continue to step up inspections and conduct intelligence-led enforcement to vigorously combat counterfeit and infringing goods activities at different levels.
Under the TDO, any person who imports or exports or sells or possesses for sale 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.
Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting or infringing activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
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