Hong Kong customs seizes over 56,000 fake goods worth HK$16.9 million in joint operation with Macau, mainland China
- Customs inspector says haul includes smartphones, phone accessories, watches, handbags and shoes, with items all destined for overseas
- Counterfeiters used brand names such as Cartier, Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Patek Philippe, Rolex and Nike
Hong Kong customs officers have arrested two men and confiscated more than 56,000 counterfeit products worth nearly HK$17 million (US$2.1 million) in a joint operation with mainland Chinese and Macau authorities.
Inspector Terence Wong Tsz-kin of the Customs and Excise Department’s intellectual property transnational investigation division said on Friday that the three-week operation had determined the seized items were destined for overseas.
“During the joint operation, Hong Kong customs seized more than 56,000 counterfeit products, which included smartphones, phone accessories, watches, handbags and shoes,” he said.
Running from April 9 to 30, the operation sought to combat the import and export of fake goods using brand names such as Cartier, Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Rolex and Nike.
Wong said customs uncovered the contraband goods at multiple logistics centres across the city, as well as the Shenzhen Bay Control Point.
The haul was estimated to be worth HK$16.9 million, he added.
Customs said it had arrested two residents, aged 49 and 55, on April 12 and 28, respectively.
The two men had allegedly driven two vehicles loaded with the goods that were intercepted at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point as they returned to Hong Kong from the mainland.
The pair were detained on suspicion of importing goods with forged trademarks – an offence punishable under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance by up to five years in prison and a HK$500,000 fine.
They were released on bail, pending further investigation.
Customs also seized counterfeit goods found in two containers at the Tuen Mun River Trade Terminal on April 15 and 16. Both were shipped to the city from Nansha in Guangdong province.
Inspector Wong said officers had noticed counterfeiters were also replicating the packaging and accessories of legitimate goods.
Using the seized fake branded watches as an example, he said: “[Counterfeiters] used higher-quality packaging boxes along with bogus warranty certificates, watch manuals and accessories when counterfeiting luxury timepieces.”
Wong said the quality of the seized knock-off goods was inconsistent.
The investigation showed the seized items were destined for overseas destinations such as Europe, North America and other parts of Asia, he added.
Customs would continue to conduct stringent inspections and take intelligence-led enforcement action to combat cross-boundary counterfeit goods shipment activities, the inspector said.
