Hong Kong Customs follows the money in an online counterfeit case
At a glance
- Hong Kong Customs arrested a man for money laundering on 29 September.
- It follows a May 2026 case over an online shop selling counterfeit perfume and skincare.
- Customs says about HK$3.6 million in suspected crime proceeds was received through another person’s bank accounts.
Hong Kong’s Customs and Excise Department says it has arrested a man for money laundering after a follow-up investigation into an online shop selling counterfeit perfume and skincare products. The arrest was made on 29 September under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance. The man was released on bail, and Customs says further arrests aren’t ruled out. [1]
The original case dates from May 2026, when Customs arrested a 37-year-old man over the online shop. According to Customs, a financial investigation then found he had used another person’s bank accounts to receive about HK$3.6 million in suspected crime proceeds between February 2024 and May 2026. The release doesn’t name the brands or the platform, and doesn’t make clear whether the man arrested in September is the same person. [1]
Money laundering carries a maximum penalty of a HK$5 million fine and 14 years’ imprisonment, and crime proceeds can be confiscated. [1]
For brand owners, this is the interesting part. A seizure takes stock off the market, but it doesn’t necessarily reach the money a long-running online business has made. Following the money, including through third-party accounts, can. If you’re referring an online seller in Hong Kong, evidence of how long they’ve been trading and how they’re being paid is worth gathering.
Sources
- Customs and Excise Department, Hong Kong SAR Government. Hong Kong Customs detects money laundering case involving about $3.6 million following infringement investigation. Published 2026-09-29. English. Byline: Not shown (government press release). Accessed 12 October 2026.