Customs officers have arrested 40 people in a crackdown on counterfeit goods sold online. 

Starting on May 1, about 80 Customs officers from the Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau targeted online platforms including auction sites and social networks.

As of June 15, officers had seized 2,282 counterfeit items in 37 cases, including jewellery, handbags, clothing and other accessories, and 30 computers, worth $560,000.

So far 12 women and 28 men aged 18 to 60 have been arrested, seven of whom are post-secondary students.

Such cases appear to be on the rise, with 59 cases detected in the first six months of this year, a 150% increase compared to 23 cases in the same period last year, the department said.

Offenders usually deliver the counterfeit goods in person or by post to avoid getting caught.

Call 2545 6182 to report counterfeiting activities.