Hong Kong customs officers seize HK$24,000 worth of bogus cosmetics

Customs officers were working to track down the suppliers of bogus cosmetics and skincare products following the arrest of seven people and seizure of more than 1,000 fake items in Hong Kong, a senior Customs official said on Monday.

The 1,011 counterfeits consisted of two fake Korean products – face powder and brow liner – and one American facial moisturiser, and were confiscated from six retail shops in Sheung Shui, Tuen Mun and Yuen Long between Thursday and Sunday, according to the Customs and Excise Department. The haul was worth about HK$24,000.

Senior Superintendent Yip Wai-sim, head of Customs’ Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau, said initial laboratory analysis showed the consignment did not contain heavy metals, but “further tests are needed to find out whether the products contain other harmful ingredients”.

She said preliminary investigations indicated the fake products had been sold at the six outlets for three to four months. The buyers were mostly tourists from the mainland, Yip added.

Four of the shops are situated in Sheung Shui and sell mainly parallel trade products. The other two stores are dispensaries in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long. According to the department, initial investigations showed the shops were not linked.

Hong Kong Customs launched an investigation into the six shops after receiving information.