NBI arrests 6 in crackdown on fake cigarettes

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation have arrested six people and seized fake Mighty cigarettes in a series of crackdown over the weekend in Zamboanga City, Cebu and Nueva Ecija.

Armed with search warrants, operatives of the NBI-Western Mindanao Regional Office, under  Regional Director Manuel Almendras, held three stall owners at Zamboanga Public Market for selling 3,400 fake packs of Mighty Menthol and Full Flavor variants.

NBI agent Paul Andrew Soriano arrested Abdurahan Bantulan of stall D-79, Nuriyah Julwadi of stall Q-10 and Susan Tan of stall D-01,  based on a complaint by Mighty Corp., a Filipino-owned cigarette manufacturer.

NBI-Central Visayas Regional Office, under Regional Director Justo S. Yap, ordered NBI special investigator Florante Gaoiran to hold stall owners Marvin Suico of Stall No. 189012 and Juvelyn M. Fernandez of stall No. 009 at the public market of Pinamungajan, Cebu, for selling 5 boxes of fake Mighty Full Flavor and Mighty Menthol variants.

NBI-Cabanatuan district office under Ricardo Diaz with agents Marvin De Jemil and Rolan Fernandez arrested Federico Laranang of Brgy. Malinao, Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija, for selling 50 reams of fake Mighty Full Flavor soft pack.

All  suspects were arrested for violating Sections 155 (trademark infringement) and 168 (unfair competition) of Republic Act No. 8293 otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Code.

NBI Director Virgilio Mendez reminded traders to deal only with authorized company representatives.

“I ask all traders that for any product you sell, you must only deal with authorized company representatives who are in proper uniform with corresponding identification cards and company vehicles,” Mendez said.

The NBI chief said that aside from the Intellectual Property Code, those caught could also be held for violating RA 7394, or the Consumer Protection Act, and the National Internal Revenue Code, whose penalties range from one year to 12 years imprisonment and fines of up to P200,000, or both.

The Bureau of Customs, Bureau of internal Revenue, NBI and PNP have launched a nationwide campaign against producers, distributors and traders of fake cigarettes since last year.