Couple wanted for alleged $450m counterfeit VCD piracy
2001-11-21
The Court of First Instance has issued warrants for the arrests of a couple who failed to turn up in court to face trial for allegedly counterfeiting $450 million worth CD-ROMs and VCDs.
The court also ordered the estreatment of bail money, totalling $1.25 million, of Tsoi Chung-wang (formerly known as Tsoi Kei-lung and Tsoi Tung-kei), 46, and his wife Ng Yee-nei (formerly known as Ng Kam-fung and Ng Yuk-yan Lili), 37.
The couple, both directors of Golden Science Technology Ltd. (Golden Science), and three employees of Golden Science, were charged by the ICAC with a total of eight offences.
The alleged copyright infringement offences were revealed in the course of a corruption investigation.
The defendants were arrested in April 1998 following a territory-wide operation. During the operation, 41 replicating lines, 12 printing lines and about 22.4 million CD-ROMs, CDs and VCDs were seized.
The defendants jointly faced one count of conspiring with Peter Siu Sik-sum and others to defraud copyright owners who might be caused loss by unlawful and dishonest copying and distribution of films, computer games, sound recordings and computer software between June 1997 and April 1998.
They were also charged with seven offences under the Copyright Ordinance and Trade Descriptions Ordinance.
Tsoi and Ng were ordered to stand trial at the Court of First Instance on Monday (November 19), along with codefendants Chan Mo-keung, Ting Wing-ching and Wong Chi-chiu. However, the couple failed to answer to the court.
Anyone who has information on their whereabouts or any other information which may lead to their arrests is requested to contact the ICAC on its 24-hour hotline 2526 6366. Information received will be treated in the strictest confidence.
The court also ordered the estreatment of bail money, totalling $1.25 million, of Tsoi Chung-wang (formerly known as Tsoi Kei-lung and Tsoi Tung-kei), 46, and his wife Ng Yee-nei (formerly known as Ng Kam-fung and Ng Yuk-yan Lili), 37.
The couple, both directors of Golden Science Technology Ltd. (Golden Science), and three employees of Golden Science, were charged by the ICAC with a total of eight offences.
The alleged copyright infringement offences were revealed in the course of a corruption investigation.
The defendants were arrested in April 1998 following a territory-wide operation. During the operation, 41 replicating lines, 12 printing lines and about 22.4 million CD-ROMs, CDs and VCDs were seized.
The defendants jointly faced one count of conspiring with Peter Siu Sik-sum and others to defraud copyright owners who might be caused loss by unlawful and dishonest copying and distribution of films, computer games, sound recordings and computer software between June 1997 and April 1998.
They were also charged with seven offences under the Copyright Ordinance and Trade Descriptions Ordinance.
Tsoi and Ng were ordered to stand trial at the Court of First Instance on Monday (November 19), along with codefendants Chan Mo-keung, Ting Wing-ching and Wong Chi-chiu. However, the couple failed to answer to the court.
Anyone who has information on their whereabouts or any other information which may lead to their arrests is requested to contact the ICAC on its 24-hour hotline 2526 6366. Information received will be treated in the strictest confidence.