Authorities seized Monday afternoon some P2 billion worth of counterfeit goods, mostly bags and beauty products, from several storage units in Binondo, Manila, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) said.
Armed with a Letter of Authority signed by Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, a team from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, Customs-Intellectual Property Rights Division and the Armed Forces of the Philippines trooped to the storage units suspected to contain bulks of fake goods.
Fake items bearing the brands of Nike, Emporio Armani, Hello Kitty, Swissgear, Iron Man, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Anello, Columbia, Gucci, Chanel, Prada among others were discovered in the storage units.
Various counterfeit beauty and skin products, shoes, and watch, mimicking popular brands were also found in the units.
According to the bureau, prior to the operation, they received information and complaint from Baranda & Associates that various imported counterfeit products were stored inside the storage units.
The items were seized for violation of Republic Act 8293 or The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines and Section 118 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
“The Bureau of Customs is relentless in its drive against smuggling of fake products in order to protect legitimate businesses that are diligent in paying duties and taxes that is due the government,” Deputy Commissioner Raniel Ramiro of the Intelligence Group said. (Betheena Unite)
