Joint Customs crackdown uncovers 14 counterfeit transshipment cases

Hong Kong Customs, together with their counterparts in the mainland and Macau, have seized about 19,000 suspected counterfeit items in a joint operation targeting cross-border transshipment of fake goods, authorities said.

The operation, carried out over about two weeks, focused on cargo transiting between Hong Kong, the mainland, and Macau and destined for overseas markets including Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

A total of 14 cross-border cases were detected, with officers seizing suspected counterfeit handbags, footwear, and electronic products with an estimated market value of about HK$14 million.

During the operation, Hong Kong Customs uncovered 13 cases at several local courier and logistics companies. Officers intercepted consignments suspected of containing counterfeit goods that were being prepared for onward shipment overseas.

Customs also detected one case at the Hong Kong Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, where a batch of suspected counterfeit goods was found in an inbound goods vehicle. A 54-year-old male truck driver was arrested in connection with the case and has since been released on bail pending further investigation.

The joint enforcement action involved close cooperation with Mainland Customs and Macau Customs, as authorities stepped up inspections to curb the use of the three locations as transshipment points for counterfeit goods bound for overseas markets.

Investigations into the cases are ongoing.