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Customs officers will continue to take vigorous enforcement action against counterfeit good activities.

The assurance was given today (March 2) by a spokesman for the Customs and Excise Department following the seizure of a large quantity of counterfeit Chinese medicine Asses' glue, totally worth about $100,000, during a series of anti-counterfeit operations yesterday.

Acting on self-developed intelligence, Customs officers from the Trade Descriptions Investigation Division, raided 14 Chinese herbal shops in Sheung Wan, Sham Shui Po and Tai Po.

Later on the same day, the officers raided the five target herbal shops again and seized 2 245 boxes of counterfeit Asses' glue.

Six men and two women , aged between 38 and 52, were arrested during the operation. They have been released on bail, pending further enquiries.

"It was believed that the counterfeit Chinese medicine were intended for sale in Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries," the spokesman said.

Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person importing goods with false trade descriptions or forged trade marks is liable to prosecution. The maximum penalty for the offence is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

End/Friday, March 2, 2001

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