CAVITE – Authorities collared a man for selling counterfeit cigarettes at the parking lot of a mall in Bacoor City on Wednesday, Dec. 14.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Cavite Provincial Field Unit conducted an entrapment operation against the suspect, identified as Aaron L. Wong.
Confiscated from him were 100 reams of counterfeit Marlboro Red cigarettes with a market value of P160,000 and 50 reams of counterfeit Marlboro Gold with a market value of P80,000.
On Dec. 4, authorities received a report from a concerned citizen about alleged counterfeit cigarettes he bought from the area. The complainant reportedly suffered pain in the throat and chest tightness after consuming one pack of the counterfeit cigarettes.
Detectives from the unit conducted a test-buy operation on the same day. Examination results determined that the items were not produced by or with the authorization of Philip Morris International and are, therefore, counterfeit.
The suspect is facing charges for violation of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.