Fake Manchester United soccer strips seized in raids on hawkers

Customs officers have seized 450 counterfeit Manchester United soccer strips valued at HK$40,000 from street hawkers in Sham Shui Po and Mong Kok.

They were among 700 counterfeit items, including sportswear and ornaments, seized in raids on nine hawker stalls on Wednesday and Thursday. Three men and five women aged 22 to 56, all of them hawkers, were arrested.

Customs commander Samson Chiu Yuk-hung, who led the operation, said the labels indicated that the fakes came from the mainland, but said customs would be tracing the source.

Mr Chiu, commander of customs' trade descriptions investigation division, said the department had taken the action to avoid illegal trading of counterfeits during a series of soccer tournaments in nearby countries, especially over the summer holidays.

'Earlier this month we kept in close contact with trademark owners to monitor the market. We will reinforce monitoring and act immediately if counterfeiting activity is spotted,' Mr Chiu said.

He said that the seizure was an isolated case and that soccer sportswear counterfeits were not rampant in Hong Kong.

The fakes included adults' and children's sportswear sets and shorts that imitated the genuine article. But Mr Chiu said the counterfeits were easily spotted by their price and trademarks.