Operatives of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) confiscated some P150-million worth of fake COVID-19 antigen test kits, face masks, medicines as well as counterfeit products during a raid in a warehouse on Friday, Jan. 21 in a warehouse in Manila.
The operation led to the arrest of the storage owner, a Chinese national, according to the BCO in a statement.
During the inspection, authorities found thousands of Clungene COVID-19 antigen test kits, counterfeit Chinese herbal medicines LianHua and fake 3M N95 face masks. They also found counterfeit Nike, Fila, Converse, Adidas, Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags, wallets, phone accessories, and others.
“Definitely the owner of the warehouse will face the brunt of the law. This is not the first time and not the last time we will see these groups operating on our shores," said Alvin Enciso, head of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP).
“Our job here is to make sure these don’t get into the local markets, and to stop any future attempts at selling counterfeit goods to our kababayans," he added.
The arrested suspect is facing cases of violation of Section 1401 (Unlawful Importation/Exportation) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and violation of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules and regulations.