Hong Kong, the former British colony, faces a shocking scandal amid the COVID-19 crisis. Following widespread public complaints, authorities launched a major operation to target merchants peddling substandard and fake protective masks.
As the coronavirus epidemic intensified, Hong Kong emerged as the second-most affected city outside mainland China, after Bangkok, Thailand. On January 29, 2020, Chief Executive Carrie Lam declared the maximum health alert level. With 7 million residents scrambling for supplies, panic buying of protective masks ensued.
Reports from South China Morning Post highlighted opportunistic merchants exploiting the shortage. Locals reported poor-quality masks and even recycled masks—later clarified by Sciencepost surveys as previously worn items repackaged for resale—in online complaints.
Hong Kong Customs deployed nearly 200 officers to inspect 180 points of sale, including pharmacies, supermarkets, stalls, and convenience stores. Focus areas included false origin claims, safety standard violations, and counterfeit branding.
Officers also engaged directly with customers to verify mask authenticity, countering profiteering that risked public health and epidemic spread amid shortages of masks and sanitizers.
Endless queues formed as residents hunted for genuine supplies, as shown in this report:
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