Businessmen are to take legal action against a Public Security Bureau in Guangdong for refusing to help in the return of a $20 million cargo shipment from Hong Kong.
About 40 businessmen failed yesterday to stop the bureau in Jieyang city from putting the goods up for auction.
The 60-container shipment, which included telecommunications and audio-visual equipment, cars and construction machinery, was confiscated on October 11, just 30 minutes after the Vietnam-bound ship left Hong Kong waters.
The public security officers in Jieyang alleged the ship was smuggling goods, but could provide no evidence. The 30-member crew was detained for a month before being released on bail of US$100,000 (HK$772,300).
The cargo owners claim the Burmese captain was injured and forced to sign a confession admitting the ship had been involved in smuggling.
A representative of the businessmen said the provincial government agreed to investigate their claim but offered no help in retrieving the goods.
