ART fraud is growing at an alarming pace in Hong Kong as unscrupulous middlemen pass off fakes as originals at astronomical prices.
Police warn that they know about the problem but say they have no resources to combat it.
In one recent documented case, a copy of celebrated artist Wang Yidong's Yimeng Girl was exhibited in Wan Chai with a price tag of $150,000. The original painting was sold at an auction by Christie's in 1992 for $187,000.
The artist was so shocked that his work was copied that he signed the back of a photograph of the fake declaring that it was not his work.
The rise in forgeries mirrors the rise in prices for oriental art, with some of the best paintings fetching millions of dollars.
Chinese contemporary artists are the most common target for the fraudsters, but emerging art markets like Vietnam are also being targeted.