Hong Kong Customs officers yesterday (August 16) carried out an operation targeting copyright-infringing foldable bicycles sold in shops and auctioned on the Internet.
After extensive investigation based on information provided by a copyright owner, officers of the Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau yesterday raided eight shops located in Mong Kok, Cheung Sha Wan, Tai Po, Ma On Shan and Fanling.
They seized 29 copyright-infringing foldable bicycles worth $66,700 and arrested nine men and a woman, aged between 41 and 60. Of the arrested persons, nine were shop owners and one was a shop attendant.
Officers of the Anti-Internet Piracy Team suspected that there were copyright-infringing foldable bicycles auctioned on a local auction website.
With the assistance of an Internet service provider, Customs officers located the computer involved. Subsequently, they arrested two men, both aged 31, in Mong Kok last night (August 16).
In follow-up investigation, the officers seized a foldable bicycle and two sets of computer, worth $14,300, on the residential premises of the two men, located in Mong Kok and Tuen Mun respectively.
All the arrested persons are on bail pending further investigations.
The Divisional Commander of the Copyright Investigation Division, Mr Koon Hon-chuen, today (August 17) reminded shop owners to stay away from commodities of dubious sources when they were sourcing goods for their shops. "If in doubt, shop owners shall approach the respective authorised dealers of the copyrighted goods."
Under the Copyright Ordinance, anyone who knowingly possesses an infringing copy of a copyright work in the course of business commits a criminal offence. The maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 per article and imprisonment for four years.
Ends/Friday, August 17, 2007