Hong Kong Customs seized a total of about 9 300 items of suspected counterfeit vintage clothes and 40 suspected counterfeit handbags with an estimated market value of about $5.3 million at Lok Ma Chau Control Point, Tsuen Wan and Mong Kok on March 12 and 16. This is the first case involving counterfeit vintage clothes detected by Customs.

     Through risk assessment, Customs officers intercepted an incoming truck at Lok Ma Chau Control Point on March 12. About 75 items of suspected counterfeit vintage clothes and 40 suspected counterfeit handbags were found inside two express consignments arriving in Hong Kong from Thailand and the United Arab Emirates via the Mainland in the cargo compartment.

     After follow-up investigation, Customs officers on March 16 took enforcement action and raided the retail shop of a vintage clothes company located in Mong Kok and its storehouse in Tsuen Wan. A total of about 9 200 items of suspected counterfeit vintage clothes were seized. Two persons suspected to be in connection with the case, including a 23-year-old male sole proprietor and a 22-year-old saleslady of the company, were arrested.

     Initial investigations revealed that the company sourced vintage clothes, including suspected counterfeit goods, from the Asian region and subsequently sold them to local customers.

     Investigation is ongoing and the two arrested persons have been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs will continue to maintain close contact with trademark owners in monitoring the market situation and combating the sale of counterfeit vintage clothes. The department will also strengthen co-operation with the Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies and take stringent enforcement action against cross-boundary counterfeit goods activities.

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

     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

      

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by OCBC Wing Hang Bank Limited on fraudulent website, which has been reported to the HKMA. Hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website for ease of reference by members of the public.
 
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the website concerned or has conducted any financial transactions through the website should contact the bank concerned using the contact information provided in the press release, and report to the Police or contact the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, March 22, 2021 is 101.5 (up 0.1 against last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, March 20, 2021 was 101.4 (same as last Friday's index).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) will pass on the rates concession for the four quarters of 2021-22, as set out in the Budget Speech of the Financial Secretary in February this year, to its domestic and non-domestic tenants starting from April 2021.
      
     "Following approval by the Subsidised Housing Committee of the HA, the apportioned amount of rates concession will be passed on to domestic tenants on a monthly basis over a 12-month period from April 2021 to March 2022 by offsetting an equivalent amount of the monthly rent payable by them, subject to a ceiling of $1,500 per quarter in the first two quarters and a ceiling of $1,000 per quarter in the remaining two quarters for each rateable property," a spokesman for the HA said today (March 22). For tenancies that do not cover the entire month, the transfer of the rates concession will be made on a pro-rata basis.
      
     "The rates concession passing-on arrangement will apply to all domestic lettings including interim housing licensees and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients," the spokesman said.
      
     "Similarly, the Commercial Properties Committee (CPC) of the HA approved that the rates concession for the financial year of 2021-22 for the HA's non-domestic properties (excluding car parks) will also be passed on to the non-domestic tenants/licensees on a 'no loss, no gain' principle. Their monthly rates from April 2021 to March 2022 will be waived subject to a ceiling of $5,000 per quarter in the first two quarters and a ceiling of $2,000 per quarter in the remaining two quarters for each rateable non-domestic property," the spokesman said.

     Also, for the HA's 13 single-operator markets, namely Ching Long, Chun Yeung, Hung Fuk, Kwai Chung, Lei Muk Shue, Mun Tung, On Tai, Ping Yan, Shek Mun, Shui Chuen O, Tin Yan, Yan Tin and Ying Tung, the operators will also pass on the rates concession to their licensees in full.

     "Given the small amount of rates concession to individual car park users and the significant administrative costs involved for its distribution to these users, the CPC endorsed the exclusion of car parks from this exercise in line with the arrangements for passing on the rates concession in previous exercises. The rates concession for car parks received by the HA will be invested in enhancing the HA's car park facilities, such as the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities at suitable sites, replacement of energy-efficient lighting to promote environmental protection and upgrading of security systems," the spokesman said.
           
     The maximum total amount of rates concession to be passed on to domestic and non-domestic tenants/licensees by the HA is estimated to be about $2,376 million and $61.5 million respectively. They will be individually notified of the detailed arrangements by the Housing Department.

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (March 22) invited interested suppliers to submit proposals for a pilot scheme on setting up fast charging facilities for electric public light buses (e-PLBs) and providing a paid charging service at the public transport interchange (PTI) in Kwun Tong Town Centre.

     "The Urban Renewal Authority has reserved space in the PTI for the installation of fast charging facilities and the associated power supply. The proposers are required to submit their proposals by April 22, 2021. The successful proposer shall install e-PLB fast charging facilities, including fast pantograph chargers and backup plug-in fast chargers, at designated locations and provide a paid charging service for e-PLBs as soon as possible. To help interested suppliers to understand the content of the open invitation and the site conditions of the reserved space for installing fast charging facilities, we will hold a briefing session on April 8 and a site visit on April 9 respectively," a spokesman for the EPD said.

     "Commercial vehicles are a major source of roadside air pollution in Hong Kong. Electric vehicles (EVs) have no tailpipe emissions. Promoting the popularisation of EVs not only improves roadside air quality, but it is also our key measure to drive for carbon neutrality," the spokesman added.

     Detailed information and invitation documents can be found and downloaded from the EPD website (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/business_job/business_opp/eoi.html). For enquiries, call the EPD at 2594 6078.