Customs officers raided a "mega sale" held at a function room of a hotel in North Point yesterday (November 15) seizing 1757 pieces of suspected counterfeit clothing of more than ten well-known brand names with total worth of $150,000.
After a-week-long investigation based on information given by the public, Customs officers from the Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau (IPIB) conducted an operation yesterday and smashed a counterfeit goods syndicate, which was active in arranging mega sales in hotels.
A man and three women, aged between 21 and 50, were arrested and later bailed out pending further investigations.
By advertising in various newspapers and selling suspected counterfeit goods at relatively low price, the Mega Sale had attracted a lot of customers.
Speaking at a press briefing today (November 16), the Divisional Commander of the Trade Descriptions Investigation Division of IPIB, Mr Samson Chiu, said that this case was an isolated incident involving unscrupulous business practice.
Business owners are reminded that under Trade Descriptions Ordinance, anyone who contravenes the Ordinance is liable to a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Mr Chiu called on the hotel management to report to Customs any suspected counterfeiting activities.
Ends/Tuesday, November 16, 2004