bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Clifford Lo

An 18-year-old school pupil who took online orders to sell pirated copies of the newly released Windows 7 software was caught in an undercover sting, a senior customs official said. 
The Form Six youth accepted 25 orders and had made HK$7,500 in the past two months, Michael Kwan Yuk-kwan,  head of the customs copyright investigation division, said. 
It was the first time that pirated copies of Windows 7  were found to have been sold through the internet in the city, he said.
Officers began to investigate after receiving a complaint last week.  
The pupil advertised the pirated copies through a local internet discussion forum.
He touted copies of the Windows 7 N-series  version, which does not include multimedia programmes,  for HK$300 each.
Buyers were asked  to pay and deposit the money into a local bank account, and then  given a hyperlink to download the pirated software, Kwan said. 
'Or, clients were asked to go to a designated location to collect a compact disc loaded with pirated software,' he said.
Kwan said  the pirated software was downloaded from an overseas website and the software in the  N-series version was not for sale in Hong Kong. 
The arrest came after a customs officer posing as a buyer placed an order through the discussion forum and deposited HK$300 into the bank account. After the officer was given a hyperlink to download the pirated software on Monday morning, officers raided a flat in Ma On Shan  and arrested the pupil.
Inside, two computers containing details of the illegal business were seized. Later that day, the pupil was released on bail.  
Kwan reminded young people to respect intellectual property rights and not to take part in any illegal activities.  
Under the Copyright Ordinance,  the maximum penalty is four years' imprisonment and a HK$50,000 fine for each pirated  copy.
Since last Wednesday, officers from customs' special task force have seized about 50 discs loaded with pirated Windows 7 versions in Tsuen Wan,  Kwai Chung  and Sham Shui Po.  No one was arrested.
Anyone with information about illegal activities should report to customs officials through the 24-hour hotline on 2545 6182.



Teen caught selling pirated Windows 7