The suspect, who was not identified because he is underage, is accused of uploading mostly Cantopop songs, as pop songs performed in the southern Chinese Cantonese dialect are known, customs official Michael Kwan said in a phone interview.

Kwan, divisional commander of the Copyright Investigation Division, told a news conference Friday that the boy had advertised free downloads in an Internet discussion forum.

He said the boy is free on bail of 2,000 Hong Kong dollars (US$260) and has not been charged while the investigation continues.

Kwan said customs officials have previously arrested two other teenagers suspected of similar crimes.

In 2005, Hong Kong successfully prosecuted a local man who shared movies on the Internet using the software BitTorrent. He was sentenced to three months in jail.

Copyright infringements carry a maximum penalty of four years in jail and a fine of HK$50,000 (US$6,400) for every item violated.