Over P200 million worth of suspected counterfeit products were seized by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Metro Manila and Bulacan.
In a statement, the NBI said that operatives of the NBI National Capital Region (NBI-NCR) and the agency’s Intellectual Rights Property Division (NBI-IPRD) seized the fake products during operations conducted last Oct. 30 and 31.
It said the operations were done on directives issued by NBI Director Jaime B. Santiago in line with “the campaign to crackdown the rampant selling/distribution of counterfeit products.”
Last Oct. 31, it said its operatives implemented search warrants issued by a Manila court for trademark infringement under Republic Act (RA) 8293, the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, against several shops in Pasay City.
Seized during the operation were P135,767,860 worth of fake clothing products that included items that bore the brand names Adidas, Vans, Puma, Gucci, Under Armour, and Northface.
Prior to the Pasay City operation, NBI operatives implemented search warrants in five establishments in Bulacan and Valenzuela City.
“The operation, based on a complaint by Lee Bumgarner, Inc. on behalf of Victoria's Secret, resulted in the seizure of counterfeit Victoria’s Secret products valued at approximately P72,319,500,” said the bureau.
“Confiscated items included empty and filled bottles bearing Victoria's Secret trademark, perfume solutions, sprayers, and collars,” it also said.