Hong Kong Customs teams up with Mainland and Macao Customs to combat cross-boundary counterfeit goods transshipment activities (with photo)

     Hong Kong Customs conducted a 12-day joint enforcement operation with Mainland and Macao Customs from August 21 to September 1 to combat cross-boundary counterfeiting activities in the three places and with goods destined for overseas countries. During the operation, Hong Kong Customs seized about 23 000 items of suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of about $16 million.

     This was the second joint enforcement operation mounted by the three Customs administrations this year, during which inspections of goods across the three places and destined for North America, Europe as well as countries and regions along the Belt and Road had been stepped up, to effectively curb cross-boundary counterfeit goods transshipment activities. The suspected counterfeit goods seized by Hong Kong Customs in this joint operation included mobile phones, clothes and footwear.

     Hong Kong Customs will continue to work closely with Mainland Customs, Macao Customs and overseas law enforcement agencies to combat cross-boundary counterfeit goods transshipping activities vigorously through intelligence exchanges and joint enforcement actions.

     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.

     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/).