P15.8B worth of counterfeit goods seized in Divisoria warehouses
Some of the fake items seized in Divisoria warehouses. Photo from Bureau of Customs
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized some P15.8 billion worth of counterfeit goods in warehouses in Divisoria bearing unauthorized logos of brands such as Guess, Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton, and Tory Burch.
The follow-up inspection was conducted last Friday, May 23, after being flagged by global fashion brand Guess and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL) for sales both in-store and online.
'These fakes aren't just illegal. They endanger consumers and destroy legitimate businesses,' Guess Philippines legal head Atty. Kristian Nico Acosta was quoted as saying in the BOC statement.
The warehouses had long been flagged by Guess and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. The counterfeit items were being sold both in-store and online.
'This is about protecting Filipinos and creating a fair, honest market,' BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said in the same statement.
The BOC — mandated to supervise and control the clearance of vessels and aircraft engaged in foreign commerce — is tasked to collect nearly P1.06 trillion this year. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/AOL, GMA Integrated News
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