By Vir B. Lumicao
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| Fake goods owner escaped prison sentence while her overstayer-seller was jailed 15 months |
The Filipino-Chinese owner of a shop in Tsim Sha Tsui who
confessed to owning the fake branded goods that a Filipina overstayer was
caught selling was sentenced today, July 16, in Kowloon City court to 80 hours
of community service.
Atilla Quiao Ma, 56, thanked Magistrate Wong Tsz-ho for the
sentence, which he said was appropriate after considering the woman’s guilty
plea, clear record, remorse and the probation officer’s recommendation.
Ma and her co-defendant, Filipina overstaying tourist Jessa
Millioneda, 30, had both pleaded guilty earlier to charges of possessing and
selling fake branded goods.
Millioneda, who was employed by Ma, was sentenced to a total
of 8 weeks for the sale and possession of the counterfeit goods, and 15 months
for working illegally in Hong Kong while under
a deportation order. The sentences were concurrent.
Ma and Millomeda were arrested during a raid on Nov 22 last
year by Customs officers on Ma’s shop named Lead Merchandise Services at Flat
A8, 10th floor, Mirador
Mansion in Tsim Sha Tsui.
The Customs officers, armed with a search warrant, seized
169 fake goods including 48 sunglasses, 45 bags, 28 wallets, 19 watches, 11
pairs of shoes, 11 pieces of clothing, 6 cosmetic sets and 1 perfume, 8
assorted brand cosmetic sets and bags.
The confiscated fake goods were worth a total of $48,060. They
bore signature trademarks such as Chanel, Gucci, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger
and Louis Vuitton.
Magistrate Wong told Ma to strictly follow what the
probation officer orders her to do, or she would be returned to court for a
tougher sentence.
