Hong Kong Customs yesterday (April 11) seized about 150 cartons of suspected counterfeit mobile phone accessories and glasses and 410 cartons of suspected smuggled clothing with an estimated market value of about $3.8 million from a container at the Customs Cargo Examination Compound, River Trade Terminal, Tuen Mun.
Through risk assessment, Customs officers inspected a 40-foot container arriving in Hong Kong from Nansha, Guangdong, destined for Uruguay. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized the batch of suspected counterfeit and smuggled goods in the container.
Investigation is ongoing.
Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trade mark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting and smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Friday, April 12, 2019
