MANILA — Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Isidro Lapeña, together with representatives of some known brands, on Wednesday inspected two warehouses in Manila where boxes of counterfeit beauty and skin care products and other merchandise estimated to be worth PHP600 million were found.
He noted that they are in close coordination with the brand owners to check if the products found are fake or not.
“We are now coordinating with other brand owners to identify whether their products found in both warehouses are counterfeit,” the BOC chief said in a statement.
The inspection was initiated by bureau’s Enforcement and Security Service agents through the Letter of Authority (LOA) issued by Lapeña at Bldg. 1336, Antonio Rivera St., Tondo, Manila and Dona Maria Lim Bldg., Ilang-Ilang St., Binondo, Manila, for alleged violation of the Intellectual Property Law.
The LOA and Mission Order stemmed from a tip from brand owners identifying the warehouses where supposed fake products and other items are being kept.
The BOC said that a certain Kevin Lee is the occupant of the warehouse in Tondo while a certain Anthony Lee and Brian Lee are the occupants of the Binondo warehouse.
Authorities have informed the occupants to provide evidence of payment, leaving a notice to the building owner since no one was found during the inspection.
“We are now giving them 15 days from the date of inspection which was last March 22 to provide the needed documents. If they failed to do so, we will seize right away these products and destroy them immediately,” Lapeña said.
Meanwhile, Lapeña urged consumers to be a smart buyer. “Before buying a product, check if it undergoes quality control. The safety of our family lies also in the quality of products we buy.”
“Smugglers nowadays are bold to import these counterfeit items because majority of the Filipinos patronize fake products because of its cheaper price,” Lapeña said.
The bureau has been implementing stricter border control to prevent the entry of the supply of fake products in the country. (PNA)
