Hong Kong man gets 18 weeks’ jail for selling pirated discs from Mong Kok shop
- The 55-year-old salesman was initially arrested following a May 2018 anti-piracy raid but fled after being granted bail
- Police rearrested him on Friday and he was brought before a judge the next morning for violating the city’s Copyright Ordinance
A Hong Kong court on Saturday jailed a man for 18 weeks for breaching copyright law by selling pirated entertainment discs.
The Customs and Excise Department welcomed the sentence by the Kowloon City Magistrate Court, saying jail time would have a considerable deterrent effect and serve as a clear warning to those selling or possessing infringing goods for trade purposes.
“It also reflects the offence’s seriousness,” the statement by the department read.
The case came to light following a May 2018 raid conducted as part of an anti-piracy operation in Mong Kok.
Customs officers arrested the 55-year-old salesman and seized about 4,000 pirated optical discs at the scene. The man later fled while out on bail pending further investigation, prompting authorities to apply for a warrant and put the man on the city’s wanted list.
After being intercepted by police on Friday, the man was charged under the Copyright Ordinance and brought to the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on Saturday morning to enter his plea.
Under the law, any person who sells or possesses for sale any infringing goods faces a maximum prison sentence of four years and a fine of up to HK$50,000.