Customs arrests another Opatra sales consultant
HK01 · 5 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Customs said it made another arrest on 2 September in an ongoing investigation into a beauty company suspected of breaching the Trade Descriptions Ordinance through aggressive sales practices involving skincare products and beauty devices. The latest suspect is a 22-year-old local woman of Chinese nationality who worked as a frontline sales employee and beauty consultant at the company. Investigators allege she exerted improper influence and engaged in unfair commercial conduct toward a consumer at the Sha Tin branch, leading the customer to make a purchase decision she otherwise would not have made. Customs said the investigation is continuing, may extend to associated companies, and could lead to more arrests.
Key Points
- Customs announced the latest arrest on 2 September while continuing its probe into suspected intimidating and aggressive sales conduct by beauty retailer Opatra London.
- The arrested woman is 22 years old, local, of Chinese nationality, and worked as a frontline salesperson and beauty consultant for the company.
- The suspected offence relates to sales activity at the company’s Sha Tin branch, where a consumer was allegedly pushed into an unintended purchase.
- Senior Customs officer Leung Ka-ho said the consumer made a buying decision she would not otherwise have made because of improper influence.
- Customs has received 38 complaints so far, with amounts ranging from HK$1,800 to more than HK$200,000, totalling over HK$3 million.
Why It Matters
The case points to the financial risks consumers can face when high-pressure sales tactics are allegedly used in Hong Kong’s beauty retail sector, especially when individual transactions can run from a few thousand dollars to more than HK$200,000. It also shows that Customs is pursuing not only company management but frontline staff and potentially related companies under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance.