7th June 2023 – (Hong Kong) Hong Kong Customs officials recently detected an online sale of counterfeit perfume and cosmetics, leading to the seizure of about 1,500 suspected counterfeit products with an estimated market value of $680,000. This case highlights the ongoing problem of counterfeit goods in Hong Kong and the efforts of authorities to protect consumers from the risks associated with these products.
Customs officials conducted cyber patrols and used a big-data analytics system to conduct risk assessments and analyses, which revealed that suspected counterfeit perfume and cosmetics were being sold through an online shop opened via a social media platform. To investigate further, Customs officials posed as customers and conducted test purchases online. After conducting an in-depth investigation and with the assistance of trademark owners, Customs officers took action and met with a female seller of the online shop in Tuen Mun to make a deal. One bottle of suspected counterfeit perfume was seized, and the 26-year-old woman was arrested.
Customs officers then escorted the arrested woman to an industrial unit in Tuen Mun, where they conducted a search and seized a batch of about 1,500 items of suspected counterfeit perfume and cosmetics.
An investigation is ongoing, and further arrests are not ruled out. Customs officials are also looking into the source of the suspected counterfeit goods involved in the case, and samples will be sent to the Government Laboratory for safety testing.