Hong Kong Customs combats supply of antique coin by auction house with false trade description
Hong Kong Customs today (July 9) arrested a director of an auction house suspected of having applied a false trade description to an auction item, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
Customs earlier received information alleging that an auction house held an auction of an antique coin with an alleged authentication label applied. The relevant authentication company later certified that the authentication label was fake.
After investigation, Customs officers today arrested a 50-year-old male director of the auction house. A 59-year-old man who was the auction consignor of the coin was also arrested earlier.
Investigation is ongoing and the arrested persons have been released on bail pending further investigation.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to purchase products at reputable shops.
Under the TDO, any person who supplies goods with false trade description, or any trader who applies a false trade description to a service supplied to a consumer commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
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Members of the public may report any suspected violation of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).