Hong Kong Customs seized about 12 000 pairs of suspected counterfeit sports shoes on Monday, with an estimated market value of about $1 million.

The fake goods were discovered in a shipping container at the Customs Cargo Examination Compound of the River Trade Terminal in Tuen Mun.

However, the shoes were not destined for the local market. Through a routine risk-assessment program, Customs officers inspected a 40-foot-long container destined for the Dominican Republic that arrived in Hong Kong from Huangpu in Guangdong. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized the batch of suspected counterfeit sports shoes in the container.

The counterfeit sports shoes were not clearly branded in the image released by Hong Kong Customs (above).  Investigations are continuing.

Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trade mark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.