BOC seizes P1.2B worth of counterfeit goods in Malabon warehouse
MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday said it discovered and locked a warehouse in Malabon City containing illicit vapes and counterfeit goods valued at P1.2 billion.
According to the BOC in a statement, the warehouse was discovered during an operation in Barangay Tanong, Malabon, where the Bureau of Customs-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (BOS-CIIS) seized disposable vape brands, shoes, bags, and cosmetics.
Appliances, garments, cosmetics, household products, and other merchandise were also found in the warehouse.
“CIIS-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) agents discovered disposable vape brand Kylinbar lacking Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) ICC stickers, along with shoe brands such as Nike, New Balance, and Adidas, Apple AirPods and headsets, and counterfeit bags from luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci stored in the warehouse,” the BOC said in a statement.
BOC said the owners and operators of the warehouse have 15 days to provide the legitimacy of acquiring the imported goods and a documentation of proper tax and duties payment. Otherwise, they may be charged with violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.
READ: BIR targets illicit vape traders, charges to come in Q1 2025
Following this operation, the BOC Commissioner Bien Rubio reminded the public about the risks of counterfeit goods.
“We see here some fake cosmetics being sold as branded goods. So, if these goods did not go through the proper testing and licensing, imagine the risk you are taking,” he Rubio stated.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner for the Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy spoke about the correlation between buying counterfeit products and larger crimes.
“While buying fake goods may seem like a bargain, we want to remind the public that it only fuels the criminals more. These are the same enterprises that get involved in money laundering, forced labor, and some even in organized crime. Smuggling is only the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more that goes underneath this crime, so we need to stop where the money is coming from,” Uy said.
The warehouse has temporarily been locked and sealed, awaiting the inventory to be conducted by the bureau.
