Hong Kong Customs has cracked for the first time a case in which counterfeit Beijing 2008 Olympic Games torches were being auctioned on the Internet.

Customs officers seized five counterfeit torches in the raid on Monday and arrested a housewife.

Two of the torches were made of metal and the others of cloth and cotton.

The value of the total seizures was HK$2,000.

Addressing a media briefing yesterday, Chiu Yuk-hung, acting head of Hong Kong Customs' intellectual property investigation (operations) group, said that Customs officers recently noticed a website where Olympic torches were available for auction.

The officers, posing as buyers, arranged to pick up the product at a mass transit railway station on Monday. They arrested a 33-year-old woman and seized a counterfeit torch.

In a follow-up search in a residential unit, the officers found another four counterfeit torches.

Chiu believed the fake torches were made on the mainland. Each of the torch is estimated to have cost between HK$50 and HK$450 while the bidding prices ranged from HK$180 to over HK$700.

Chiu reminded members of the public that genuine Olympic torches can hardly be bought.

He pointed out that the fake ones were coarsely made and had brighter colors, and did not have any air holes.

He said he believed not many of these fake torches had been sold.

Since 2005, Hong Kong Customs has seized about HK$30,000 worth of Beijing Olympic souvenirs, such as keyrings, watches, lapel pins, stickers and clothing, he said.

He called upon members of the public to buy Olympic souvenirs at official outlets and reminded that authentic products should carry a security label.

Chiu said the Customs will closely cooperate with the Olympic organizing committee - the owner of the Beijing Olympic logo - in cracking down on such illegal activities through the exchange of intelligence and heightened inspection of retail outlets.

(HK Edition 06/04/2008 page1)