BOC seizes 2.2 million pairs of counterfeit shoes worth P1.5B

Bureau of Customs (BOC) | FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Around 2.2 million pairs of counterfeit shoes — designs of which were copied from a popular global brand — were seized in recent Bureau of Customs (BOC) joint operations with a private sneakers and apparel company.

The BOC stated in a report on Tuesday that the estimated worth of the seized shoes was at P1.562 billion, prompting sporting brand Nike to commend the agency for swift action to protect its intellectual rights.

According to BOC, each of the 2.2 million shoes seized featured the trademark logo of the brand, which has copyright or it was a protected intellectual property.

“We will continue to strengthen our efforts in combating counterfeiting and ensuring the enforcement of intellectual property rights,” Customs Commissioner Bien Rubio said.

“We are thankful to Nike for the recognition, but our job is far from done. While this award gives credit to the hardworking men and women of the bureau, it ignites us further to go after these manufacturers of counterfeit goods,” Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy added.

Aside from Rubio and Uy, newly appointed Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Director Verne Enciso, and Intellectual Property Rights Division Chief Paul Oliver Pacunayen were also present during the event where the shoe brand’s officials gave a plaque of recognition.

The Customs said Nike Asia Pacific’s office expressed its gratitude for the agency’s campaign against counterfeit goods.

Enciso meanwhile said that the brand’s commendation of BOC should be seen as a call for agencies to work together — as it was through cooperation that customs officers was able to confiscate the goods.

“We wouldn’t be here today without the efforts and commitment of our partner agencies. We understand what is at stake here, that some groups are turning the Philippines into a haven of counterfeit goods. We will stand in their way and put all measures to stop their modus,” Enciso said.

This is not the first time though that BOC seized counterfeit goods that featured copyrighted logos of global and luxury brands.  Just this March 2023, over P10 billion worth of fake bags, shoes, clothes, and electronics were discovered in a Binondo warehouse.

BOC said warehouse’s representatives acknowledged the letter of authority for an inspection and allowed it.  Customs officers then padlocked and sealed the warehouse.

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