MANILA, Philippines — Counterfeit luxury and branded goods worth an estimated P1.5 billion were seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Pasay City.
The BOC on Tuesday said that the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Intellectual Property Rights Division (CIIS-IPRD) seized the goods during an inspection of a storage facility at Building 127 along F.B. Harrison Street, corner J Fernando Street in Pasay City.
“Further investigation is also underway for other possible violations of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (RA 8293) and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (RA 10863),” the BOC said in a statement.
“Our people target, detect, intercept, and thereby prevent the entry of these contraband items before they can do any harm to our markets,” BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said.
“These counterfeit items not only jeopardize these brand names, but also seriously undermine our own local brands. It is therefore our mandate in the BOC to stop these deals and ensure a fair trade for foreign and local brands,” he added.
Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy promised to intensify the crackdown against smuggling and counterfeit items.
“Discovering P1.5 billion worth of counterfeit items is no small joke, especially because these people are now becoming more sophisticated in the way they bring these products through our borders,” he said.
“But while this latest operation is an extraordinary feat, we acknowledge that more work needs to be done to stop these once and for all,” Uy added.
The bureau said its team required proof of payment for the taxes and duties paid on all imported goods and proof of authenticity for the branded goods.
Citing its initial report, the BOC said there are approximately 70 units in the building that are leased and used as storage spaces.
Authorities are already conducting inventories of the items found, which include counterfeit goods bearing popular luxury brands.