Hong Kong Customs officers have arrested 14 people and seized 72 computers loaded with pirate software and fake discs during a special operation, a Customs spokesman said here Friday.

During the four-week operation, which started on Aug. 1, officers raided seven companies in North Point, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kwun Tong and Kwai Chung and seized the computers and discs.

The genuine copies of the software involved were worth about 480,000 HK dollars (about 62,000 U.S. dollars).

Two of the companies specialized in logistics while the rest were in different types of business -- traveling, distribution of computer products, sale of health goods, comic book publishing and advertising design, the spokesman said.

Eight men and six women, aged 27 to 50, were arrested and have been released on bail. Seven are company directors, one is company proprietor and six are staff involved in information-technology management, according to the Customs.

Source: Xinhua