Smuggled Products Worth P50-M in Mall Seized by Bureau of Customs
SMUGGLED GOODS – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized smuggled products worth P50 million from a mall in Quiapo, Manila.
The authorities conduct an inspection to at least 68 storage units at a mall in Quiapo after receiving reports that the business is selling fake branded products such as fake clothes, accessories, computers and electronic equipment, and videoke machines.
The complainant’s lawyer Nico Acosta said numerous fake products have been found inside the mall during the operation. The establishment made bundles of counterfeit products.
“Nagconduct po kami ng masusing imbestigasyon sa loob ng ilang buwan. Tinignan namin, minanmanan namin itong establisyemento na ‘to. Nagconduct din kami ng mga test buys and confirmed nga po, positive, maraming brands ang ipinepeke,” Acosta said.
According to customs, the smuggled or counterfeit products they have recovered were amounting P50 million. It’s up to the owners on how they can prove that the items were legit and documented.
BOC official Dominic Garcia explained a lot of establishment are experiencing bankruptcy due to counterfeit products imitating the branded items. It also causes an impact to the country’s economy.
Garcia said that fake items especially electronics items could also pose risk to the body’s health. The agency will destroy the items to prevent it from recurring in the market.
“Ang daming negosyong nagsasara, so maraming nalulugi [at] walang benta. ‘Yung mga legitimate na negosyo, mawawalan ng kita [pati] yung gobyerno,More important is yung health hazard niya eh yung risk pag fake yung electronics baka eto pa maging cause ng sunog,” Garcia added.
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