SOME P11 billion worth of counterfeit goods were seized by operatives of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) over the weekend in Manila — one of the biggest hauls this year.
Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said Sunday that the operation was conducted in Binondo by a team from the bureau’s Intellectual Property Rights Division in coordination with the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS).
“Counterfeit goods undermine legitimate businesses, leading to financial losses and weakening consumer trust. They also present health and environmental hazards and damage brands by associating them with subpar quality materials,” Rubio added.
The Bureau of Customs (BOC), through its Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD), seized counterfeit goods worth approximately PhP11 billion during an operation in Binondo, Manila. Photo from Bureau of Customs
Customs operatives found fake items inside the storage facility, including wristwatches, shoes, perfumes, bags and clothes, all bearing registered trademarks such as Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Rolex, Apple, Hermes and Dior. The products reportedly came from China.
Rubio said the owners of the seized goods failed to submit within 15 days the corresponding documents for their importations, including proof of payment of correct duties and taxes and evidence of “legitimate importation.”
Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy of the BoC Intelligence Group, citing a report from the office of CIIS Director Verne Enciso, said that it had been established that the seized goods were fake as certified by the brand owners.
“We will not tolerate any form of counterfeiting,” said Uy.
Enciso said a warrant of seizure and detention was issued against the subject counterfeit goods, pursuant to Sections 214 and 1113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act in relation to Republic Act 8293, or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.
As a matter of protocol, seized counterfeit goods will be destroyed through shredding and rendering at facilities accredited by the BoC to ensure they do not find their way to the local market.
An investigation would be conducted on how the counterfeit products were able to pass through customs.
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