Three arrested after Customs cracks two counterfeit mooncakes online sales platforms

Forty-nine boxes of counterfeit mooncakes, totaling about HK$16,000, have been seized by 
Customs agents as they arrested three people who sold the festive food online as the Mid-Autumn Festival is quickly approaching.

All 49 counterfeit mooncakes involved two popular products on the market: the "Mini Egg Custard Mooncake - 8 pieces" from The Peninsula Hong Kong and the "Lava Custard Mooncake" from Maxim's Caterers Limited.

The trademark owners reported to Customs that those counterfeit mooncakes were on sale through some online platforms. Upon investigation, officers posed as customers to conduct test-purchases and raided two online platform accounts involved in selling goods with a forged trademark. 

The batch of suspected counterfeit mooncakes were seized after officers searched a commercial unit in Mong Kok and a residential unit in Tsz Wan Shan. One man and two women, aged 28 to 41, were arrested in the operation.

Customs said the counterfeit mooncakes' selling price was about 20 to 30 percent cheaper than the original one, and the printing on the packaging was not very detailed.

It also reminded customers to purchase goods at physical shops or online shops with a good reputation and to check with the trademark owners or their authorized agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt.

Customs is looking into the source of the mooncakes involved in the cases, and samples have been sent to the Government Laboratory for safety testing.