Fake Louis Vuitton, Gucci products seized

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) scored anew in its campaign against piracy with the recent seizure of some P2 million worth of fake Louis Vuitton and Gucci products in various shops at a popular retail mall in Manila.

Agents of the NBI’s Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD) seized over 5,300 pieces of counterfeit Louis Vuitton products and 2,700 Gucci merchandise in a raid of six stalls at 168 Mall in Binondo.

IPRD chief lawyer Jose Justo Yap identified the shops as Propersight General Merchandise, Good Hope Mechandising, Fashion Castle General Merchandise, Jemely General Merchandise, Rainydays Marketing and Rolemodel General Merchandise. All six were owned by Chinese nationals.

Yap said the operation was conducted by virtue of 10 search warrants issued by Manila Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Antonio Eugenio Jr. upon the complaint of the posh fashion companies through their lawyer Nicolas Pichay.

He said they immediately proceeded to the mall last Feb. 6 after securing the search warrants.

The NBI official revealed that the fake products have been stored at Quick Pack Moving, a private warehouse located at Veterans complex in Taguig City.

"This successful operation is another part of our campaign against producers and sellers of fake products. We will continue to intensify this drive to protect not only the consumers but also our businessmen who are abiding by the law," Yap stressed.

He added that charges of violation of Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines are now being readied against the owners of the fake merchandise.