Hong Kong customs arrests 3 beauty parlour staff suspected of using counterfeit skincare machines on clients
- Officers apprehend three women, aged between 36 and 40, after carrying out undercover operations at two beauty parlours in Sha Tin and Kwun Tong
- Improper use of the counterfeit machine may lead to potential risks, such as skin redness and burns, customs inspector warns
Hong Kong customs officers have arrested two directors and a saleswoman working at beauty parlours for allegedly using counterfeit skincare machines on clients after carrying out undercover operations.
Inspector Vincent Kan Tsz-him of customs’ intellectual property investigation bureau said on Friday the two undercover operations were carried out on March 14 and Monday following a complaint against two beauty parlours in Sha Tin and Kwun Tong.
The complaint alleged that staff members falsely claimed to use a specific brand’s beauty machine for the treatment, according to the Customs and Excise Department.
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The treatment using the genuine South Korea-made devices were said to be able to fight sagging, wrinkles and other signs of ageing.
“During the test-buy operations, employees were suspected of applying false trade descriptions in the sale of a beauty service,” Kan said.
He said their acts were in breach of Trade Descriptions Ordinance – an offence punishable by up to five years in jail and a HK$500,000 (US$64,000) fine.
Under the ordinance, any person who supplies services or goods with false, misleading or incomplete information, commits an offence.
During the operations, customs officers arrested three women, aged between 36 and 40, and seized two counterfeit beauty machines. The suspects were directors and a saleswoman from the two shops.
The inspector said the confiscated machines had noticeable differences in appearance, function and price compared with the genuine product.
Kan said the genuine device had the manufacturer’s name and description label printed on it, while the counterfeit machine did not.
“The counterfeit machine is estimated to be worth around HK$10,000, but the genuine one costs dozens of times more,” he said. “The beauty treatment using the counterfeit machine is priced at around HK$1,000 each, but the treatment with the genuine machine is priced several times higher.”
He said the authentic device used high-intensity focused ultrasound to achieve results, but the counterfeit product applied a different method and energy output, raising doubts about its effectiveness.
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He warned that improper use of the counterfeit machine could lead to potential risks, such as skin redness and burns.
The beauty parlours have been operating for between two and five years, according to the department.
Kan said the department had not received any complaint from consumers who felt discomfort or suffered injuries during or after treatment.
He said the investigation into the origin of the counterfeit machines was still under way.
The three suspects had been released on bail pending further investigation.
Customs urged consumers to procure services at reputable shops and called for traders to comply with the Trade Description Ordinance.
