Hong Kong Customs said Wednesday more than 4,500 suspected counterfeit leather goods worth about 5 million HK dollars were seized in an operation on Tuesday.

More than 100 Customs officers took part in the operation in searching a number of locations. Some 4,000 suspected counterfeit leather goods worth about 4.45 million HK dollars were seized at an office of one of the chain shop companies in Mong Kok and its 15 retail shops in Mong Kok, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui, North Point, Yau Ma Tei and Jordan.

Two men and 21 women, aged between 19 and 45, including a director, a manager and staff members of the company were arrested.

On the same day, Customs officers raided the office of another company in Mong Kok and its retail stores in Mong Kok and North Point, resulting in the seizure of about 500 pieces of suspected counterfeit leather goods worth about 550,000 HK dollars and the arrest of a man and two women, aged between 22 and 41, who were manager and staff members of the company.

The Customs said it is a criminal offence for anyone to contravene the Trade Descriptions Ordinance. The maximum penalty is a fine of 500,000 HK dollars and imprisonment for five years. ( 1 U.S. dollar equals 7.777 HK dollars)