P300-M worth of fake items seized in Binondo; 10 arrested – CIDG

CIDG arrested 10 suspects in Binondo, Manila over P300 million worth of fake items with Louis Vuitton trademark. /CIDG

MANILA, Philippines – Ten suspects were apprehended after police seized more than P300 million worth of fake goods inside a mall in Binondo, Manila on Thursday afternoon.

The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) served 12 search warrants for violation of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines on the suspects inside a shopping mall at 12:45 p.m.

The search warrants were issued after a representative of a legal consultancy service complained to CIDG’s Anti-Fraud and Commercial Unit (AFCU) about counterfeit Louis Vuitton items in Binondo.

Operatives of CIDG-AFCU under Lt. Col. Bayani Razalan went to the area and arrested Irene Castro, 28; Rose Ongonion, 24; Naima Malic, 26; Raihanah Bato, 18; Emalyn Estela, 34; Lorelyn Saraña, 22; Christopher Umali, 25; Raize Masiglat, 19; Mylen Agustin, 27; and Carol Sanchez, 48.

Seized were 911 fake bags; 1,291 fake wallets; 48 fake belts; four fake caps; two fake cardholders; 48 counterfeit keyholders; 38 paper bags and four boxes which bears the Louis Vuitton trademark and amounted to P308,125,000.

The suspects are now under the custody of CIDG AFCU while appropriate charges are being prepared against them before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Manila./ac