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 operation with Mainland and Macao Customs from December 4 to 15 to combat cross-boundary counterfeiting activities among the three places and with goods destined for overseas countries. During the operation, Hong Kong Customs seized about 14 000 items of suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of about $5.4 million.
      
     During the operation, the three Customs administrations stepped up inspection of goods across the three places and destined for North America, Europe, South East Asia as well as other countries and regions to effectively curb cross-boundary counterfeit goods transshipment activities. The suspected counterfeit goods seized by Hong Kong Customs included handbags, mobile phones and accessories, clothes and footwear.
      
     This is the third joint operation by the three Customs administrations this year. Hong Kong Customs has seized a total of about 51 000 items of suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of about $25.5 million in these operations.
      
     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 with any 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/).