Leather load: Counterfeit leather goods seized by Customs officers last week.

Customs officers seized counterfeit leather goods valued at $8.65 million during a series of operations late last month, the largest seizure made in recent years.

Acting on intelligence shared with US customs officials, officers examined a container destined for New York on June 27 at Kwai Chung Container Terminal and seized about 6,000 pieces of counterfeit leather goods.

After extensive investigation, the officers searched another two transhipment containers on June 27 and 30 and seized over 28,000 more fake leather products.

The operation demonstrated the determination of Hong Kong in protecting intellectual property rights.

Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person importing or exporting goods with false trade descriptions is liable to prosecution.

The maximum penalty for the offence is a fine of $500,000 and five years' imprisonment.