Hong Kong customs arrests two Opatra staff members
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong customs officers have arrested two staff members from the local operations of beauty chain Opatra London, in the first detentions tied to the company’s alleged aggressive sales tactics. The two arrested employees are the financial manager and administration manager, according to an insider, and authorities are expected to release more details soon
Key Points
- The two people detained on Wednesday were a man serving as financial manager and a woman serving as administration manager in Opatra’s Hong Kong operation
- Customs has received at least six complaints alleging coercive and misleading sales practices, with reported purchases ranging from HK$1,800 to HK$100,000
- In one widely discussed case, a 58-year-old woman said she spent HK$61,400 at the Sha Tin New Town Plaza branch before a video of her crying went viral
- Officers earlier raided the company’s registered office in Sheung Wan, found it was a secretarial company address, and seized documents for investigation
- Opatra’s four Hong Kong branches in Sha Tin, Yuen Long, Causeway Bay and Harbour City have suspended operations, while the company also faces unpaid-rent lawsuits totalling HK$795,000
Why It Matters
The arrests move the case from public complaints and online outrage into a criminal enforcement phase, raising pressure on the company’s Hong Kong operation. The next official disclosures from customs are likely to shape whether more staff, managers or related entities come under scrutiny