Hong Kong Customs steps up enforcement action against counterfeit goods activities with approach of Labour Day Golden Week of Mainland (with photo)

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (April 24) conducted a special operation in Mong Kok to combat the sale of counterfeit goods and seized about 4 900 items of suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of about $2.1 million.
      
     Customs earlier conducted patrols and discovered some fixed-pitch hawker stalls selling suspected counterfeit goods in Mong Kok. After investigations, Customs officers took enforcement action yesterday and raided 17 fixed-pitch hawker stalls on Tung Choi Street and a nearby storage site for counterfeit goods upstairs. A batch of suspected counterfeit goods, including handbags, leather goods, accessories, was seized.
      
     During the operation, two women, aged 37 and 45, were arrested.
      
     An investigation is ongoing.
      
     With the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland approaching, Customs will continue to step up inspection and enforcement to vigorously combat different kinds of counterfeit goods activities before and during the holidays in order to safeguard consumer rights at full strength.
      
     Customs reminds consumers to procure goods at reputable shops and to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt. Traders should be cautious and prudent in merchandising since the sale of counterfeit goods is a serious crime and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.
      
     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) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).