Fake medicines ring smashed in Hong Kong

The authorities in Hong Kong chalked up a major success in the battle against counterfeit medicines as 2015 drew to close. Acting on a tip-off, Hong Kong's Customs & Excise Department conducted a strike-and-search operation in the Kwun Tong and Ngau Tau Kok districts and smashed a wholesale syndicate suspected of storing for sale counterfeit medicines, poisons and pharmaceutical products containing dangerous drugs.

The number of pills seized in the operation was estimated to be 400 000, making it the largest seizure of suspected counterfeit medicines in Hong Kong in a decade. A 49-year-old man, who is suspected to be the mastermind of the syndicate, was arrested.

The head of intellectual property investigation operations at HK Customs - Wong Yim-pui - said he believed unscrupulous traders had been attempting to stock a large quantity of medicines to supply the market during the approach of the Christmas and New Year holidays.Securing Industry