Hong Kong customs officers arrest 22, shut down 17 webpages in fake designer goods operation
- Officials also seized HK$1.8 million in counterfeit products as they went after swindlers riding high on a wave of online shopping triggered by Covid-19
- Some of the phoney goods were sold during livestreaming sessions held late at night on social media to avoid detection
Hong Kong customs has shut down 17 webpages selling fake brand-name products, made 22 arrests, and seized HK$1.8 million (US$231,000) worth of counterfeit goods over the past four months as it targeted swindlers hoping to cash in on a pandemic-driven online shopping boom.
In eight of the 13 cases involved, counterfeiters claimed they could directly purchase high-end products from overseas manufacturers or suppliers, said Assistant Superintendent Henry Wong Che-yin, head of customs’ intellectual property technology crime unit.
The fakes included leather handbags, sports shoes, apparel and accessories from well-known designer brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Hermes.
“These [fake shopping agents] claimed their goods included limited-edition products and VIP gifts that were not sold publicly,” he said. “To attract consumers, the price [of the counterfeit goods] was between 60 and 70 per cent of the genuine products.”
The other five cases involved the sale of fake goods via live social media webcasts. Counterfeiters touted products bearing forged trademarks during live shows carried out late at night to avoid detection.