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Hong Kong Customs officers seized about $23.5 million worth of smuggled and counterfeit goods in an operation from January 18 to 20.

On January 18, Customs officers from the Ports and Maritime Command seized a large quantity of colour photo paper, dried seafood, canned abalone, audio equipment, and antibiotics, worth a total of about $16 million, from four 40-foot containers onboard a river trade vessel in the waters off Tung Lung Chau during a cargo inspection on January 18. Initial investigations showed that the goods were intended for shipment to Huizhou on the Mainland.

Customs officers believe that the smuggling attempt was designed to meet the demand for such goods during the Lunar New Year festivities on the Mainland.

On January 20, Customs officers found another batch of counterfeit goods including home appliances, mobile-phone batteries and accessories, clothes, handbags and cosmetics, worth about $7.5 million, from a 40-foot container at the River Trade Terminal. Customs investigations showed that the consignment, which had arrived from Yantian on the Mainland, was for transshipment to Thailand.

Customs investigations are continuing.

Under the Import and Export Ordinance, anyone found guilty of smuggling will be liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years, while under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, anyone importing or exporting goods with false trade descriptions or forged trade marks is liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and five years' imprisonment.

Ends/Friday, January 21, 2005

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