Hong Kong Customs combats sale of suspected counterfeit and infringing jewellery at fair booths
Hong Kong Customs today (June 21) conducted an enforcement operation at the Jewellery & Gem ASIA Hong Kong (JGA) being held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, seizing about 21 items of suspected counterfeit and infringing jewellery with a total estimated market value of about $30,000.
Customs received information alleging that counterfeit and infringing jewellery were displayed for sale at some booths at the JGA which lasted for four consecutive days starting from June 18.
After an in-depth investigation and with the assistance of the copyright owner, Customs officers today seized the batch of suspected counterfeit and infringing jewellery from two booths.
During the operation, one man and three women, aged between 24 and 50, were arrested for being suspected of contravening the Trade Descriptions Ordinance and the Copyright Ordinance. Two of them are persons-in-charge and two of them are staff. An investigation is ongoing and the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
Customs attaches great importance to combating counterfeiting and infringing activities and will deploy officers to different exhibitions to conduct inspections from time to time. Customs will contact the relevant trademark or copyright owners immediately to confirm the authenticity of the goods when suspected counterfeit or infringing goods are found. The department will also take enforcement action after investigations and with the assistance of the trademark or copyright owners.
Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action. Booth exhibitors are reminded to respect intellectual property rights and not to sell counterfeit and infringing goods.
Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Under the Copyright Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for sale an infringing copy of a copyright work commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 for each piece of infringing goods and imprisonment for four years.
Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Hong Kong Customs combats sale of suspected counterfeit and infringing jewellery at fair booths Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects three incoming passenger drug trafficking cases at airport
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 20) and today (June 21) detected three drug trafficking cases involving passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 29 kilograms of suspected ketamine and 2.85kg of suspected cocaine, with a total estimated market value of about 13 million. Three persons were arrested.
The first case involved a 30-year-old Brazilian male passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Doha, Qatar, yesterday. During Customs clearance, about 2.85kg of suspected cocaine were found in his check-in baggage. The male was subsequently arrested.
The subsequent two cases involved a 23-year-old Malaysian male passenger and a 27-year-old Chinese female passenger respectively. They arrived in Hong Kong from Rome, Italy, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers separately seized from their checked-in suitcases a batch of suspected ketamine weighing about 25kg with an estimated market value of approximately $9.5 million, and another batch weighing about 4kg with an estimated market value of approximately $1.6 million. The two persons were subsequently arrested.
The arrested person in the first case has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and the case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (June 22), while investigations of the remaining two cases are ongoing.
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
Customs will also continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Hong Kong Customs detects three incoming passenger drug trafficking cases at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects three incoming passenger drug trafficking cases at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects three incoming passenger drug trafficking cases at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects three incoming passenger drug trafficking cases at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
