Customs said they’ve seized a total of 114 boxes of suspected counterfeit mooncakes in a special operation since August 30 to combat the online sale of counterfeits.
Along with the dodgy mooncakes, more than 2,000 items of suspected counterfeit goods, including perfume, cosmetics and kitchenware, with a total estimated market value of about HK$650,000, were also seized.
Customs said they have earlier received information from a trademark owner alleging that suspected counterfeit mooncakes were put on sale through some online platforms.
Officers later targeted a number of online platform accounts for investigation and took enforcement actions, having raided four online platform accounts selling suspected counterfeit mooncakes.
Two residential premises in Tuen Mun and Kam Tin, an industrial unit in Tuen Mun and a mini-storage in Sheung Wan were searched, resulting in seizures of the batch of suspected counterfeit mooncakes and suspected counterfeit goods.
During the operation, one man and three women, aged between 25 and 34, were arrested.
Customs said they are looking into the source of the mooncakes involved in the cases and samples have been sent to the Government Laboratory for safety testing.
It also appeals to consumers to purchase goods at 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.
Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of HK$500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
