With fake comic book action figures and toys flooding the market this Christmas season, it was up to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to play "superhero" in cracking down on counterfeiters.
The NBI confiscated some P8- million worth of counterfeit Superman and Batman toys from two warehouses in Manila the other day, just as parents rushed to finish their Christmas shopping.
Patrons of DC products will now have to shell out heftier sums to buy the original DC Comics toys, particularly Batman and Superman items, after elements of the NBI-Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD) raided three establishments and confiscated 10,199 pieces of counterfeit merchandise.
"Legitimate shopping malls and DC Comics outlets are losing sales especially during Christmas time because the people are turning to these stalls along Divisoria and Binondo that are allegedly selling these counterfeit products at a cheaper price," said NBI-IPRD head agent Jose Justo Yap.
The operation was conducted at around 5 p.m. on Dec. 15.
Armed with search warrants issued by Executive Judge Antonio Eugenio Jr., of Branch 24 of the Manila City regional trial court, the NBI-IPRD raided the two warehouses in San Rafael Village, Tondo and another stall along Roman street in Binondo.
He said they were able to unmask the fakes, since the original DC products are made in the United States, while those seized were reportedly manufactured in China.
Charges of trademark infringement and unfair competition will soon be lodged by the NBI before the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office against the proprietors of the establishments.
The seized items were temporarily stored at the Sekurit Systems & Allied Services, Inc. located at No. 10 Marian Road 2, Barangay San Martin de Pores, Parañaque City.
DC Comics, through its local representative Quisumbing Torres law firm, sought the assistance of the NBI-IRPD after receiving complaints that the vendors had been selling fake items. After a few weeks of surveillance, the NBI secured the necessary search warrants.
Moral: Crime never pays.