Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected counterfeit and smuggled goods (with photo)

     Hong Kong Customs seized about 320 000 items of suspected counterfeit and smuggled sunglasses and mobile phone cases with an estimated market value of about $6 million from a container at the Customs Cargo Examination Compound of the River Trade Terminal in Tuen Mun on August 1.

     Through risk assessment, Customs officers inspected a Uruguay-bound 40-foot-long container that arrived in Hong Kong from Nansha, Guangdong. The suspected counterfeit and smuggled goods were seized from the container as a result.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports 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.

     Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting and smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).