FAKE. Some of the counterfeit clothing items seized by Bureau of Customs officials in Pasay City on Friday (May 7, 2021). The seized goods have an estimated value of PHP300 million. (Photo courtesy of BOC)
MANILA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Sunday reported the recent seizure of illegal items amounting to PHP316 million in Navotas and Pasay City.
BOC’s Facebook post shared that joint operatives of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service from the Manila International Container Port and the Port of Manila raided warehouses in Pasay City and Navotas on May 7, 2021.
Armed with a Letter of Authority (LOA) signed by Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, the first team proceeded to a storage facility in Navotas, where they found smuggled frozen food items, including duck meat, valued at approximately PHP16 million.
The second team inspected storage facilities in Pasay City and discovered counterfeit luxury brand clothing items with an estimate total value of PHP300 million.
The seized items are undergoing inventory while the owners will face charges for violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act as well as other relevant intellectual property laws.
“The BOC will continue to pursue unscrupulous individuals while we support legitimate businesses who pay proper duties and taxes,” the agency statement read. (PNA)
