THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) will file charges against three retailers and a warehouse owner after an estimated P60 million worth of smuggled and counterfeit beauty and skin care products were confiscated from their possession.
In a press conference Thursday, April 26, at Customhouse, Sasa Wharf, Customs Commissioner Isidro “Sid” Lapeña said Customs police raided three stores and one stockroom selling and storing fake cosmetic products last Friday, April 20.
These stores were identified as Double Time Trading, H Fashion and Cosmetic Products at DCLA Mall 2; Reymundo M. Mira at DCLA Mall 1; and a warehouse owned by HHX Products along Lizada Street.
Customs will soon file criminal charges against the owners for failing to pay appropriate duties and taxes in violation of Section 117 and 118 paragraph (e) and (f) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, and other related laws, including the Intellectual Property Code, and Food and Drug Administration Act.
He said they were still gathering evidence and conducting an investigation.
Asked on how these fake products slipped through the BOC, Lapeña said the products were “misdeclared and undervalued”.
“With the volume of container vans that go through the Customs on a daily basis, hindi na-iinspect lahat yan (not all get inspected). For example, ide-declare nila itong mga ganitong products, and then pag view (sa x-ray machine) is similar. It cannot be determined outright na ito pala ay mga counterfeit products (that these are counterfeit). So nakakalusot,” he said.
Lapeña said he approved letters of authority that were presented to the owners to conduct inspection after their office received a complaint from the manufacturer of the brands that were copied.
There were four separate warrants of seizure and detention that were issued by acting District Collector Romalino G. Valdez. The fake products were confiscated when the store owners failed to present proof of payment of duties and taxes.
After the operation, the stores were closed and sealed with roll-up steel, and padlocked by BOC police.
The BOC chief said an agent from the various trademark owners previously conducted a test-buy operation where they posed as ordinary buyers to collect proof of possible infringement of intellectual property rights.
Lapeña said this serves as a warning to the store owners to not engage in these illegal activities.
He likewise advised the public against patronizing the products as these could be harmful, considering that these did not undergo evaluation by the authorities.
“Do not make use of these counterfeit products, niloloko ninyo ang mga mamayang Pilipino dito eh. This should be a strong warning for them,” he said.