APRIL 2007
How Hong Kong fights the war on fakes
Hong Kong used to be a counterfeit buyer's paradise. But over the past 10 years Customs officials have upped their efforts to drive the sellers from the streets and smash the syndicates that control the trade. Peter Ollier followed a team of officers over three days to find out how successful they have been
The first thing that strikes you about the counterfeit showroom is the silence. Two petite mainland Chinese women stand in one corner, handcuffed, heads covered by black bags and totally still. Six Japanese tourists sit, heads bowed, trying not to panic. The only noise is the click of a camera. Every available shelf and wall is stacked with fake watches, wallets and handbags, each of them an imitation of some luxury brand. Just two minutes earlier the room would have buzzed with the sound of deals being negotiated and bargains being struck.
The rest of this article is available to subscribers only. Subscribe today for full access to this article.
Alternatively take a free trial, giving you access to the current issue's contents*
If you are already a subscriber, please log in below to access the rest of this article.
*excludes some surveys and articles.