Hong Kong Customs combats unfair trade practices at medicine shop
Hong Kong Customs today (April 21) arrested a salesmen of a medicine shop suspected of engaging in unfair trade practices involving a misleading omission in the course of selling Chinese herbal medicine, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
A Customs officer, disguised as a customer, conducted a test-buy operation at a medicine shop in Mong Kok this afternoon. A salesman was suspected of providing untimely material information about the pricing unit of the Chinese herbal medicine. After the product was ground into powder, he revealed that the Chinese herbal medicine was priced per mace, resulting in a price difference 160 times higher compared to the expected per-catty pricing. Customs officers then arrested the 25-year-old salesman.
An investigation is ongoing and the arrested man was held for inquiry.
Customs has long been concerned about visitors being misled to make purchases by unfair trade practices and has established a Quick Response Team to handle urgent complaints lodged by short-haul visitors. The complaints will be promptly referred to investigators to handle with priority.
With the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland approaching, Customs will continue to step up inspections and enforcements to vigorously combat unfair trade practices.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to purchase products from reputable shops. Consumers should also be cautious about unit prices and ask for more information, including the total price of the goods selected before making a purchase decision.
Under the TDO, any trader who engages in a commercial practice that omits or hides material information or provides material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely, and as a result causes, or is likely to cause, an average consumer to make a transactional decision, 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 violations of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Hong Kong Customs, Photo source: reference image
Hong Kong Customs combats sale of suspected infringing jewellery at fair booths
Hong Kong Customs today (September 20) conducted an enforcement operation at the JGW September (Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong September) being held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, seizing about 27 items of suspected infringing jewellery with a total estimated market value of about $160,000.
Customs received information alleging that infringing jewellery were displayed for sale at some booths at the JGW September which lasted for five consecutive days starting from September 16.
After an in-depth investigation and with the assistance of the copyright owner, Customs officers today seized 24 items of suspected infringing jewellery from a booth. Customs officers also conducted premises search at an associated company located at Hung Hom, further seizing three items of suspected infringing jewellery.
During the operation, one man and one woman, aged between 47 and 65, were arrested for being suspected of contravening the Copyright Ordinance. One of them is the person-in-charge and one of them is a staff member. An investigation is ongoing and the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
Customs attaches great importance to combating counterfeiting and infringing activities and will deploy officers to different exhibitions to conduct inspections from time to time. Customs will contact the relevant trademark or copyright owners immediately to confirm the authenticity of the goods when suspected counterfeit or infringing goods are found. The department will also take enforcement action after investigations and with the assistance of the trademark or copyright owners.
Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action. Booth exhibitors are reminded to respect intellectual property rights and not to sell counterfeit and infringing goods.
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.
Under the Copyright Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for sale an infringing copy of a copyright work commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 for each piece of infringing goods and imprisonment for four years.
Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Hong Kong Customs combats sale of suspected infringing jewellery at fair booths Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
