THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has recently seized P78 million worth of counterfeit products in Balagtas, Bulacan.
The BOC Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Intellectual Property Rights Division (CIIS-IPRD), together with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), confiscated the items after the owners failed to comply with the Department of Trade and Industry’s safety standards.
The raiding team were armed with Letters of Authority (LOA) issued by BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero.
Personnel of the CIIS-IPRD, BOC-Port of Manila (POM), NBI-National Capital Region, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) inspected the warehouses located at Fochun Industrial Compound, Balagtas, Bulacan.
Prior to the sealing of the subject warehouses, BOC examiners in the presence of CIIS and the AFP operatives, conducted the initial inventory of IPR goods comprising of various items.
The goods were marked by brands Adidas, Nike, Jordan, Gucci, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, among others, according to the BOC.
The bureau said the owners and their representatives were invited during the operation and have issued certification of non-authenticity on those counterfeit goods.
Another shipment container was also found at the said location. Upon checking the importation documents, the authorities discovered that the declaration of the said cargo was steel channel but was found to contain Aluminum Profiles.
The representatives of the warehouses were informed by the implementing team to provide importation documents and other pertinent permits covering all goods found in the area.
The BOC is now checking for other possible violations of the Republic Act (RA) 4653,
Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (RA 8293), Consumer Act of the Philippines (RA 7394), and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (RA 10863).
Guerrero said BOC continues with its stringent enforcement of Customs laws to protect the interests of the national government and the Filipino people.