Manager accused of selling fake beer

THE operations manager of a Port Moresby nightclub Yip Chee Ming Sam appeared in the Waigani Committal Court yesterday accused of selling counterfeit trademark of South Pacific Brewery Ltd.
The charge was read to Ming, 48, from Kuala Lumpur’s Perak village in Malaysia before Magistrate Paul Nii.
“Police allege that you knowingly used a green can beer 330ml that is not the one produced in this country. The one you sold is a counterfeit,” Nii told Ming.
“You sold it believing that it was true, but it was a counterfeit product and that was the reason you were arrested, charged, detained and released on bail.”
Police alleged that on Christmas Eve, information was received that there was a container filled with “fake green cans of beer” parked at the back of the club located at Section 38, Allotment 21 along the Waigani Drive.
According to police brief, the South Pacific Brewery sales team had been conducting investigations into complaints of fake beer being circulated in Papua New Guinea.
The investigations started in 2019 when several tests were conducted on the fake cans of beer, which were confirmed to be true that they were fake and were circulated around the country.
SP Brewery security investigation team then conducted surveillance on that container.
While surveillance was being conducted with the help of police, the container was opened and a large number of fake green cans of beer were found inside.
Upon inquiry, police were advised that the container belonged to the club.
As a result, Ming was interviewed but he denied having knowledge of the container.
He was then arrested, charged, detained and was released on a K2,000 bail.
Ming’s passport was surrendered to the court registry.
Nii extended Ming’s bail and ordered that he attend court on March 8 to find out what will happen to his case.