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Counterfeit merchandise seized included goods bearing Louis Vuitton and Paul Frank brands
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The inspectors were armed with Letters of Authority from BOC and backed up by NBI, armed forces personnel and luxury brand representatives
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Warehouse representatives told to provide importation documents as investigation gets going
A Pampanga warehouse row yielded counterfeit branded goods valued at P129 million during an inspection by Customs operatives on June 9, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said.
The merchandise, bearing such brands as Louis Vuitton, Paul Frank, Adidas, Hello Kitty, and Spider Man, among others, were seized by the operatives, a BOC press release said on June 13.
BOC did not say whether any arrests were made but noted investigation was under way.
Armed with Letters of Authority issued by BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero, operatives from Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Intellectual Property Rights Division (CIIS-IPRD), CIIS-Port of Clark, and BOC-Port of Manila inspected the warehouses of Golden Sun 999 Industrial Park in Dela Paz, San Simon, Pampanga.
They were backed up by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation-National Capital Region, FIMA Legal Consultancy team, and personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, BOC said.
Before sealing the warehouses, BOC examiners made an initial inventory of the goods that bore popular brands in the presence of CIIS personnel, Louis Vuitton representatives, and AFP operatives.
Assorted products such as various dishwashing liquid brands and Tiger Motorcycle Lubricant, to name a few, were also found at the site.
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Representatives of the warehouses and containers were advised by the team to provide importation documents and other pertinent permits covering all goods found in the warehouses.
Further investigation is ongoing for other possible violations of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (Republic Act 8293) and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (RA 10863), BOC said.
