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Customs Officers at the Air Mail Centre, at Hong Kong International Airport intercepted two outbound consignments destined for the United Kingdom and seized 190 pieces of counterfeit leather goods on May 13, 2006 and June 3, 2006.
Subsequently, as a result of a surveillance investigation launched by officers of the Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau, a syndicate made up of family members was uncovered. The investigation also revealed that the culprits were involved with a foreign domestic helper in exporting counterfeit goods to the United Kingdom.
Yesterday (June 15), Customs officers arrested the domestic helper and the suspected female syndicate member after the helper had posted a parcel at Tsim Sha Tsui Post office. Both women were arrested and 200 pieces of counterfeit leather goods were seized. Subsequently, Customs officers searched a mini storage space rented under the name of the syndicate head and found another 200 pieces of counterfeit leather goods. During the whole operation, 580 pieces of counterfeit leather goods were seized worth about $60,000. Both of those arrested are now on bail pending further investigation.
Investigations showed that the syndicate involved a mother and daughter, who stored a large number of counterfeit goods at a temporary storage centre. They told the foreign domestic helper to repack the goods into Speed Post boxes as a camouflage at the storage centre for later exportation to the United Kingdom. The arrested domestic helper is aged 35 and has worked in Hong Kong for about four years and the female syndicate head is aged 45.
Anyone who contravenes the Trade Descriptions Ordinance is liable to prosecution. The maximum penalty is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Ends/Friday, June 16, 2006
Issued at HKT 20:13
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