The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized approximately P4.8 billion worth of suspected smuggled vapes, counterfeit branded items, cosmetics, and general merchandise in Binondo, Manila.
Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio said that this operation is one of the bureau's largest hauls this year by the bureau in terms of value.
“In recent months, we’ve been monitoring several warehouses for violation of intellectual property rights. As these groups and individuals become more brazen in their attempts to circumvent our laws, the more that our BOC personnel—from top to bottom—will find and prosecute them,” Rubio said.
Led by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP), with a Letter of Authority (LOA) from Rubio, the BOC thwarted this attempt to smuggle counterfeit items and other merchandise.
During the operation, the BOC discovered boxes of counterfeit goods from luxury brands, including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Adidas, Nike, and the NBA.
The seizure also included school supplies featuring popular characters like Hello Kitty, Spiderman, and Disney figures, along with aerosols, cosmetics, tools, and other general merchandise.
Other floors of the storage facility were also found to contain suppected smuggled disposable vapes and vape accessories.
Initial estimates peg the market value of the counterfeit items at around P4.8 billion.
The operation was led by BOC-CIIS Director Verne Enciso, with support from personnel from the Enforcement and Security Service-MICP and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
While awaiting a final inventory from the assigned Customs examiner, the BOC team temporarily sealed the affected storage areas.
Warehouse owners and operators have 15 days from the service of the Letter of Authority to submit documentation proving the legitimacy of the imported goods and that all duties and taxes have been paid.