Got an illegal set-top box in Hong Kong? Be careful, customs is cracking down ahead of World Cup 2018 in Russia

Eight arrested and 354 boxes worth HK$320,000 seized in weekend raids in Wan Chai and Sham Shui Po

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Fong with some of the set-top boxes that were seized in the weekend raids. Photo: Felix Wong

Published: 6:45pm, 28 May 2018Updated: 6:51pm, 28 May 2018

Hong Kong customs officers have arrested eight people and seized 354 illegal set-top boxes worth HK$320,000 (US$40,800) in a clampdown on illegal television streaming ahead of the Fifa World Cup in Russia next month.

More arrests are likely to follow after a top official from the Customs and Excise Department warned on Monday that the crackdown would continue ahead of the eagerly anticipated tournament, which Hongkongers watch in droves.

Guy Fong Wing-kai, head of the department’s Intellectual Property Investigation Group, said the arrests, which took place in Wan Chai and Sham Shui Po on Friday and Saturday, were made after undercover officers entered the shops posing as customers and attempted to buy a box.

Soccer fans hoping to watch the World Cup for free have been put on notice by the Customs and Excise Department. Photo: Reuters

According to the department, the seven men and one woman, aged 18 to 45, were the owners and sales assistants in the four shops that were targeted.

“They were suspected of installing apps into the TV set-top boxes to watch pay TV programmes for free,” Fong said.