A couple have been sentenced to six and a half years jail each for counterfeiting $300 million in CD-ROMs and VCDs.

Tsoi Chung-wang (also known as Tsoi Kei-lung and Tsoi Tung-kei), 49, and his wife, Ng Yee-nei (also known as Ng Kam-fung and Lili Ng Yuk-yan), 40, both former directors of Golden Science Technology, were found guilty at the Court of First Instance of one count of conspiracy to defraud.

Justice Michael Lunn reduced their jail term from a starting point of seven years, after taking into account their clear records.

The couple had been charged for conspiracy with others to defraud copyright owners in relation to dishonestly copying, manufacturing and distributing films, computer games, sound recordings and computer software between June 1997 and April 1998.

When ICAC officers raided four factories, an office and warehouse premises in Fanling on April 26, 1998, they seized over a million counterfeit discs covering 75 titles. The couple were arrested by the ICAC that month during a corruption inquiry, and were subsequently charged.

Bail jumped in 2001

They were ordered to stand trial at the Court of First Instance on November 19, 2001. However, they failed to appear.

With the assistance of Interpol National Central Bureau China, Lanzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau, and the Hong Kong Police's Liaison Bureau, Tsoi returned to Hong Kong from the Mainland last October.

Ng was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Vancouver last October on the ICAC's behalf. She waived extradition proceedings and returned to Hong Kong to face trial in November.