Case of the counterfeit sweetcorn cans
Tinned sweetcorn lovers were urged to be cautious yesterday after bogus cans of a popular brand were found on sale.
Customs officers warned there was no guarantee the counterfeit products were safe to eat.
They were still being examined for signs of poor hygiene or poison.
About 8,300 cans of fake Del Monte creamed corn were seized from a To Kwa Wan warehouse and a nearby wholesale outlet after complaints were received from the company's regional distributors.
Three men and a woman, aged 36 to 53, were arrested during the seizure of goods worth about $40,000.
Deputy head of the Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau Johnny Chow Wing-keung said he believed the distribution of the cans had been limited to one outlet.
He said it was likely the operation aimed to sell the cheaper fake produce to small shops.
He said fake tins were identifiable by blurred labels and because the steel cans were not as solid as the legitimate product.
The food itself was 'mushy' in consistency compared with the full corn kernels supplied in the real product.
Mr Chow said it was probably a case of simple label-swapping involving cheaper mainland creamed corn, but he warned there was no guarantee of the edibility of the contents.
Consumers with any doubts over the legitimacy of a Del Monte product can contact distributors Polybrands International on 2369 9983.
