Some P70 million worth of smuggled and counterfeit goods were uncovered in 70 storage facilities in Binondo, Manila, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) reported Thursday.
The storage units were raided during a series of operations Tuesday by a team from the bureau’s Intelligence Group and Intellectual Property Rights Division, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Joint Task Force.
BoC officials bared that the operations pushed through after receiving information and complaint from Baranda & Associates that various smuggled goods, likely fake products, were kept inside the storage units in Manila.
During the raids, several smuggled and fake goods bearing the brands Silka, Likas Papaya, Spiderman, Hello Kitty, Coach, Long Champ, Cath Kidston, Anelo, Louis Vuitton, Lacoste, Red Bull, Dove, Lux, Prada, Gucci, Chanel, Cetaphil, Balenciaga, Kate Spade, Fred Perry, Head & Shoulder, Pantene, Rejoice, Sony, Awei, Cars, Mickey Mouse, Frozen, Champion, DKNY, Marc Jacobs, Bench, Starbucks, Yves Saint Laurent, Max Man, Viagra, Cialis, Tory Burch, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Hollister, among others were found in the storage facilities.
The raiding team was armed with a letter of authority signed by Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, giving them power to inspect the more or less 70 storage units.
According to the bureau, samples of the seized items will be forwarded to its respective brand owners to verify its authenticity. (Betheena Unite)
