Hong Kong Customs shuts down trading company selling counterfeit mobile phones and other electronic devices online
Hong Kong Customs mounted a special enforcement operation on July 7 and detected a case of a trading company selling counterfeit mobile phones and other electronic devices online. A total of about 5 400 items of suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of about $6 million were seized. Three persons were arrested.
Customs earlier received information from a trademark owner alleging a trading company was offering counterfeit mobile phones for sale online, and an investigation was then launched. After a detailed investigation, and with the assistance of the trademark owner, Customs officers took enforcement action on July 7 and searched an office unit in Hung Hom, resulting in the seizure of the batch of suspected counterfeit goods.
During the operation, two foreign men and one foreign woman, aged between 35 and 46, were arrested under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
An investigation is ongoing, and the arrested persons have been released on bail pending further investigation. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
Customs reminds consumers to purchase goods at reputable shops or online shops and to avoid conducting transactions with suspicious traders. They should check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt.
Customs strives to protect consumer rights and carries out inspections in the market and on the Internet from time to time. Moreover, Customs officers use a big-data analytics system to carry out risk assessments and analyses to verify whether online shops have complied with the TDO to help safeguard the interests of consumers during online purchases.
Under the TDO, 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 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 mounted a special enforcement operation on July 7 and detected a case of a trading company selling counterfeit mobile phones and other electronic devices online. A total of about 5 400 items of suspected counterfeit goods with a total estimated market value of about $6 million were seized. Photo shows some of the suspected counterfeit goods seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
