P800 million ‘fake’ goods seized in Valenzuela raid

3-day operations result in nearly P1 billion worth of fake goods confiscated

On Apr 27, 2022

Customs officers are seen inspecting the stacks of fake consumers goods they found during an operation in Valenzuela City last April 26, 2022. The value of the suspected smuggled products was initially placed at more than P800 million. A geo-tag (location tracker) in the photo of any customs operation is now mandatory to prove their authenticity (photo courtesy of IG-BOC).

A JOINT team from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Armed Forces (AFP), confiscated an assortment of “fake” consumer goods during a raid of several warehouses in Valenzuela City this Tuesday, April 26, 2022.

Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence (DCI) Raniel Ramiro, citing a report from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), said the joint operation targeting several warehouses and commercial establishments at Don Pablo, Rincorn, Valenzuela City, resulted to the discovery and confiscation of various goods bearing the marks, Nike, Tribal, Jag, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Fila, Jordan, NASA, Honda, Shoei, Champion, Converse, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Mickey Mouse, and Vans, among others.

The operation was triggered by a confidential report received a day previously by the bureau’s Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD) from the NBI that the area is teeming with counterfeit products, used clothing, and products that fail to comply with the government’s safety standards and that the possessors are in violation of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (RA 8293), Republic Act 4653, Consumer Act of the Philippines (RA 7394), and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (RA 10863).

A lady customs officer walks past the bundles of fake consumer goods they found during the operation in Valenzuela City last April 26, 2022. A geo-tag (location tracker) in the photo of any customs operation is now mandatory to prove their authenticity (photo courtesy of IG-BOC).

Immediately, customs commissioner, Rey Leonardo Guerrero, issued a letter of authority (LOA) and an MO (mission order) for the conduct of the operation, Ramiro said.

IPRD officer in charge, Dominic Garcia, in his initial report to Ramiro and CIIS director Jeoffrey Tacio, said after an initial investigation, they proceeded to place customs seal on the visited establishment prior to the conduct of a detailed inventory by customs examiners.

Representatives of the establishments were also informed by the implementing team to provide importation documents and other pertinent permits covering all the locally purchased goods found to prove they are not smuggled into the country.

The operation was the second to be conducted in Valenzuela City by the Intelligence Group (IG) that brought the value of confiscated counterfeit goods to nearly P1 billion in just three days.

Last April 22, another joint team headed by Alvin Enciso, CIIS head, Manila International Container Port (MICP), also conducted a raid at several facilities in Mapulang Lupa, where they also confiscated counterfeit products worth P190 million (see also Pinoy Exposé article of April 26, 2022).