NINE people - including the mother of a suspected syndicate leader - have been arrested in what Customs agents have called the largest seizure of fake Korean ginseng.
The arrests followed raids on nine premises on Thursday in an operation that included about 50 officers from the Customs and Excise Department.
At locations in Sai Ying Poon and Sheung Wan, 4,470 cans of the suspected fake ginseng were seized with an estimated value of $3 million. Also seized were manufacturing machines, metal moulds and thousands of forged labels.
Five men and four women, aged between 19 and 62, were arrested. They were later released on bail ranging from $5,000 to $100,000. The arrests included that of a 42-year-old man, thought to be the ringleader, and his 62-year-old mother.
The seizure came after a two-month investigation by the department's Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau.
The products bore forged trade marks, head of the bureau, Senior Superintendent Ronny Tsang Hing-kam, said.
