Another huge haul of counterfeit items, this time worth P1 billion, was discovered at a storage facility in Magallanes, Makati City, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) revealed on Thursday, June 17.
Assorted fake items imitating famous brands like Lacoste, Michael Kors, Macbeth, Adidas, Chanel, Givenchy, Oxygen, Guess, Coach, Gucci, Wrangler, Fubu, Zara, Reebok, Levi's, Hilfiger, Jag, Tribal, Bench, Calvin Klein, and Esprit were uncovered at the facility upon inspection by BOC agents Monday, June 14. Most of the items were clothes.
Armed with a letter of authority signed by Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero, a composite team from the bureau's Intelligence Group Intellectual Property Rights Division(IG-IPRD), Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) seized the fake items before they could be distributed to local markets.
Guerrero said an investigation is underway for possible violation of Section 118 (f) of Republic Act (RA) 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA); and RA 8293, also known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (IPCP).
The discovery of the contraband in Makati came just 11 days after P2 billion worth of counterfeit goods ranging from signature branded clothes to beauty products were seized at a storage facility in Baclaran, Paranaque City.
On June 14, the BOC was commended by French luxury brand Louis Vuitton for its anti-smuggling efforts that have led to the confiscation of millions worth of fake items that imitate their high-end products.