Hong Kong Customs combats online sale of counterfeit goods
Hong Kong Customs conducted an enforcement operation on November 5 to combat the online sale of counterfeit goods, and seized about 15 000 suspected counterfeit items with an estimated market value of about $2 million. One person was arrested.
Customs earlier received information alleging that suspected counterfeit goods were put on sale through an online shop on a social media platform. Later, Customs officers posed as customers and conducted a test purchase. After an in-depth investigation and with the assistance of trademark owners, Customs officers on November 5 raided an office and storage of the online shop located in Yuen Long. A batch of suspected counterfeit goods, including clothing and skincare products, was seized.
During the operation, Customs arrested a 48-year-old woman suspected to be connected with the case. She has been released on bail pending further investigation. The investigation is ongoing.
Customs will continue to step up inspections and enforcement to vigorously combat the sale of different kinds of counterfeit goods.
Customs reminds consumers to procure goods at reputable shops or websites and to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt. Traders should also be cautious in merchandising since the sale of counterfeit goods is a serious crime and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.
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.
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).
Sydney ETO supports woodwind concert in Melbourne to foster cultural exchanges
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney (Sydney ETO) supported the "Woodwind Quintet – Hong Kong and Australia Cultural Exchange Concert" in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday (November 7) to promote cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Australia, and showcase the young musical talent of Hong Kong.
The concert featured a diverse selection of classical repertoire performed by M•eureka!, a chamber group formed by talented young musicians from Hong Kong. Associate Professor of Music (Performance - Clarinet) of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music Mr David Griffiths was invited as a guest musician to perform with M•eureka! in the concert to deepen musical exchanges between Hong Kong and Australia. The concert was well received by around 500 audience members.
The Director of the Sydney ETO, Mr Ricky Chong, said in his welcoming remarks that the Sydney ETO has a deep commitment to fostering cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Australia.
"Apart from supporting Hong Kong arts talent to showcase their works overseas, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is also dedicated to enhancing our arts infrastructure to bring in more local and international arts productions. Some of the new world-class venues in Hong Kong include the Lyric Theatre Complex in the West Kowloon Cultural District, the East Kowloon Cultural Centre, and the newly opened stadium at the Kai Tak Sports Park which can house an audience of 50 000. We can't wait to have you in Hong Kong to enjoy the exciting arts and cultural events," Mr Chong said.
He also shared with the audience the latest initiatives announced in "The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address", including the reform of various aspects of the talent admission regime to build a quality talent pool for long-term development.
M•eureka! is a newly founded chamber group formed by young professional musicians who have all graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. The group aims to promote classical music development in Hong Kong by presenting traditional chamber music as well as newly arranged orchestral works.
Sydney ETO supports woodwind concert in Melbourne to foster cultural exchanges Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Sydney ETO supports woodwind concert in Melbourne to foster cultural exchanges Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Sydney ETO supports woodwind concert in Melbourne to foster cultural exchanges Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Sydney ETO supports woodwind concert in Melbourne to foster cultural exchanges Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
