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Customs officers seized more than 70,000 textile goods bearing various forged trade marks or false origin labels, worth more than $ 2.3 million, at the Airport on Sunday (April 18).

"The items, including assorted garments, handbags, belts and shoes, were attempted to be exported to Taiwan under false claims that they were made in Hong Kong," said a spokesman for the Customs and Excise Department today (Wednesday).

The goods were believed to be made in the Mainland, the spokesman added.

Giving false information regarding the origin of goods is a serious offence, according to the Import and Export Ordinance.

"We shall step up enforcement actions to check such malpractice to protect the commercial reputation of Hong Kong and to ensure that the confidence of its trading partners in Hong Kong's textile control system would not be undermined by some dishonest businessmen," he said.

The maximum penalty for such offence is a fine of $ 500,000 and two years' imprisonment.

Meanwhile, the spokesman also appealed to members of the public to provide information on any suspected textile fraud activities.

Information could be passed to the Customs through its hotline 2804 2388, he added.

End/Wednesday, April 21, 1999

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