Counterfeit goods selling cases have dropped off after a Customs & Excise Department crackdown, Commissioner of Customs & Excise Timothy Tong says, adding no counterfeit case targeting visitors has been uncovered in the past three weeks.

Speaking on a radio talk show this morning, Mr Tong said more than 100 staff have checked shops that mainly serve Mainland visitors in the past three weeks, but no new counterfeit case was found.

He said the department assesses their anti-counterfeit actions' effectiveness through shop-checking results, number of complaints and comments from the public. He said the department received more than 100 complaints last month, but all cases happened before April 1.

The actions aim to reduce sales of counterfeit goods, but there is no guarantee they can be eradicated, Mr Tong said. He stressed the department will step up checks at black spots and strengthen cooperation with the Mainland's customs departments.

Mr Tong pointed out that cooperation with the Mainland is growing closer, mainly on combating drug trafficking and marked oil. He said the marked-oil situation is serious, and due to a large demand for illicit drugs in the Mainland, Hong Kong must cooperate to avoid becoming a drug-transiting port.

A joint forum by the department and the Mainland's customs departments will take place in Hong Kong next week. One agenda item is the need for cooperation on customs issues between 16 places in the pan-Pearl River Delta Region.