Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected counterfeit goods and duty-not-paid liquor worth about $11 million (with photo)

Date: 17/10/2023

Hong Kong Customs on October 4 seized about 8 400 suspected counterfeit goods and about 260 litres of suspected duty-not-paid liquor at the Tuen Mun River Trade Terminal Customs Cargo Examination Compound. The total estimated market value was about $11 million, with a duty potential of about $ 260,000.

Through risk assessment, Customs on that day inspected a 40-foot container, declared as carrying mobile phone accessories, footwear and daily necessities and arriving in Hong Kong from Nansha, Guangdong. After inspection, Customs officers found the batch of suspected duty-not-paid liquor and suspected counterfeit goods, including mobile phones, mobile phone parts, earphones and watches therein.

An initial investigation revealed that the batch of suspected duty-not-paid liquor and suspected counterfeit goods would be transhipped to overseas regions.

An investigation is ongoing.

Customs will continue to combat smuggling activities and cross-boundary counterfeit goods activities and interception at source to combat illicit liquor activities for protection of revenue with firm enforcement action based on risk assessment and intelligence analysis.

Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trademark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

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