P500M fake goods seized from Manila warehouses

MANILA, Philippines - Police seized more than P500 million worth of counterfeit and smuggled goods during a two-day raid in various areas in Manila, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said Friday.

 

CIDG chief Director Benjamin Magalong said the operations conducted by the detectives of the Anti-Fraud and Commercial Crimes Unit (AFCCU-CIDG), along with the representatives of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPO PHL) , Bureau of Customs (BOC) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

 

The raids were covered by a warrant of seizure and detention issued by the BOC, Magalong said.

 

Operatives first stormed last Thursday seven warehouses along Rivera Street in Tondo, Manila, where they unearthed smuggled batteries, branded kiddie products, steel buttons, perfumes with different brands and other products. 

 

Present during the search was Bobby Teng, the operations manager of the warehouses.

 

Fake National Basketball Association jerseys, which filled up the whole floor of a warehouse, were also confiscated.

 

Also in Tondo district, operatives seized thousands of boxes of fake seasoning products from a warehouse along La Torre Street.

 

Authorities have summoned the owners of the establishments to appear before the BOC tribunal while the CIDG will file a case for violation of RA 8293 or Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines against them.