P79M in bogus luxury bags seized in Divisoria

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MANILA, Philippines—Just because they’re really expensive doesn’t mean they’re the real deal.

The National Bureau of Investigation seized more than P79 million worth of fake Louis Vuitton bags in a raid on  stalls and warehouses in Binondo, Manila last Wednesday.

A report by NBI Intellectual Property Rights Division chief Rommel Vallejo said 2,061 counterfeit luxury bags worth a total of P79,770,000 were confiscated during the raid. The NBI said the amount was based on the prices at which  stall holders said they were selling the bags.

Given the sum, the bags were apparently priced at more than P38,000 each on average, which would put them at the low end of the price range of the real Louis Vuitton bags.

The bags were seized from warehouses G-55/57 and H-28 at the Manila Textile Market on Soler Street and stalls 1k-11, 1K-12, 1L-12, 2F-10/12, 2H-3/5 and 2R-9 at the 999 Shopping Mall on Sta. Elena Street.

For weeks, the NBI had conducted surveillance and test buys in the area, after receiving complaints from no less than the Asia Pacific representative of Louis Vuitton as early as January.

After the NBI confirmed the information, it applied for search warrants with the Manila Regional Trial Court.

The search warrants were granted by judge Lyliha L. Abella-Aquino of the Manila RTC branch 24, and the NBI operation was finally carried out Wednesday afternoon, Vallejo’s report said.

The proprietors and owners of the warehouses and stalls are still being identified, but the NBI is set to charge them with violating Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.