Hong Kong Customs conducted an enforcement operation on November 24 to combat infringing activities involving circumventing game consoles. Eight game consoles suspected to be connected with the case, 13 sets of suspected infringing game consoles, 29 memory cards containing suspected infringing games, a desktop computer with an external hard disk used for dealing with infringing games and a batch of computer equipment were seized. The total estimated market value was about $150,000.

     Customs earlier received information alleging that someone offered paid services to circumvent game consoles and sold suspected infringing electronic games through a social media platform page. After a thorough investigation and with the assistance of the copyright owner, Customs officers took enforcement action on November 24. An industrial unit in Kwun Tong and a retail shop in Tsuen Wan were raided, and the batch of game consoles connected with the case and the suspected infringing game consoles were seized. Customs officers from the Computer Forensic Laboratory were also summoned to the scene to support the operation. Through an on-site digital examination, more than 5 000 suspected infringing game files were found from the computer connected with an external storage media, which was used to process infringing games.

     During the operation, two men, aged 42 and 38, were arrested. 
 
     An investigation is ongoing, and the arrested persons have been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs noted that the copyright owner had applied an effective technological measure in his game consoles to prevent any unauthorised games being played on any devices, and the arrested persons are suspected of using circumvention technology to enable the infringing games to run on the game consoles.

     Customs reminds traders not to take part in circumvention activities since selling a circumvention device or providing a circumvention service is a serious crime. Also, members of the public should respect intellectual property rights and not buy any circumvention devices. Unknown websites connected with circumvention devices might contain computer viruses or malware which can pose a risk to users.

     Under the Copyright Ordinance, any person who possesses an infringing copy of a copyright work with a view to selling it commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 per infringing copy and imprisonment for four years. Any person who, for the purpose of a circumvention business, or in the course of a circumvention business, sells or lets for hire a relevant device, or provides relevant services in order to allow circumventing an effective technological measure which has been applied in relation to a copyright work, is liable to a maximum penalty of a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for four years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected infringement 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).

Ends/Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Issued at HKT 18:30

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