In an attempt to curb the SAR's rampant CD piracy trade, the Government has put controls on the equipment used to make the disks.
Licences are now required for the import or export of optical disk manufacturing machines to and from Hong Kong.
'The new requirement under the Import and Export [General] Regulations is aimed at preventing Hong Kong from becoming a haven for the manufacture of pirated optical disks,' a Trade and Industry Bureau spokesman said.
'The new licensing requirement will discourage the smuggling of optical disk manufacturing equipment into or out of the territory. It will also enable Customs officers to better trace the origin and destination of legally imported equipment and facilitate the development of intelligence on suspected copyright piracy activities.' Violators face a maximum fine of $2 million and up to seven years' imprisonment. The licences, which are free of charge, can be applied for at the Customs and Excise Department's valuation and verification division in Tsim Sha Tsui.
