Hong Kong customs officers have raided three chain stores after discovering the outlets had claw machines filled with about 3,000 fake brand-name perfume products instead of toys – a find considered to be the first of its kind for the department. The fakes sported luxury brand labels such as Chanel and Dior, with the goods having an estimated street value of HK$120,000 (US$15,400), the Customs and Excise Department said on Wednesday. According to the department, six claw machines worth about HK$60,000 were also confiscated in the operation.
A shop owner and her female employee were arrested following the seizure of the counterfeit products in Tuesday’s raids on the three claw machine stores in Kwai Chung and Tsuen Wan. “These machines, storing fake brand-name perfumes, were usually placed near the front door of the shops in an effort to attract customers,” Senior Inspector Chau Hoi-man of customs’ intellectual property investigation bureau said. He said the seized perfumes came in small bottles that official brands did not use.
“Customers were told that the perfumes were genuine samples sold at a lower price,” Chau said. He said it was the first time that customs officers had discovered claw machine stores offering fake brand-name perfumes. A source familiar with the incident said a bottle of the fake perfume was worth between HK$30 and HK$50, with each game for these claw machines costing HK$5.
The counterfeits went for about 20 to 50 per cent of genuine product prices. When asked about the chances of winning a bottle, he said: “It all depends on your luck.” Customs officers are investigating how long the three stores have been offering fake brand-name perfume and are also looking into the origin of the counterfeit goods.
The raids were part of an operation running from August 8 to Tuesday following complaints lodged to the department. After an extensive investigation with the help of copyright owners, customs officers raided the three claw machine stores and another seven stores in Mong Kok, Tung Chung and Sai Kung. The other seven comprised three pharmacies and four retail outlets.
The senior inspector said about 5,000 counterfeit products were seized along with the six claw machines from the 10 shops, and eight people – four men and four women – were rounded up in the operation. Chau said the fakes consisted of skin care products, cosmetic goods and perfumes, estimated to have a combined street value of HK$270,000. He warned that since the seized products were intended for direct use on the skin, their lack of quality assurance raised health and safety concerns.
He added that samples would be taken to a government laboratory for testing. The eight suspects have been released on bail, pending further investigation. Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, selling or possessing for sale any product with a forged trademark is punishable by up to five years in prison and a HK$500,000 fine.
The department said the investigation was still under way and further arrests were possible..
