Undeclared watches confiscated at NAIA Terminal 1

MANILA, Philippines - Customs officials at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 confiscated some 25 pieces of expensive wrist watches brought by a passenger from Kuwait via Bangkok Monday night.

Customs collector for passenger services Tess Roque said that Customs examiners Rita Jacinto, Ronald Moreno, Customs police special agents, Jun Moralde,  Eric Macaombang and Cutoms Intelligence and Investigation Service Ogie Cunanan, intercepted a certain Ananda Ozuatter, a Kuwaiti national bringing in some 25 pieces of undeclared genuine Rolex watches hidden in a small box placed in his black hand carried bag.

Ozuatter arrived on board Kuwait Airlines flight KU 411 at around 7:30 p.m. Monday with three small boxes and one black hand carried bag where the Rolex watches were placed. Customs personnel asked Ozuatter to place his belongings at the top of the examination table (counter 9 and 10) for inspection and found Rolex watches and a Ronkin Soterom pen weighing some four kilos. Customs police said that Rolex watches cost $2,000 to $15,000 each. Customs officials asked Ozuatter if he has the invoice or official receipt for the expensive watches. Roque said that Ozuatter will pay some P2.8 million for duties and taxes alone but district collector Carlos So is asking for a thorough investigation before he will allow Ozuatter to pay the duties and taxes.

Fake toothbrushes, combs

Moreover, some P3.5 million worth of fake Springmaid toothbrushes and combs were seized by the National Bureau of Investigation during a raid recently in Tondo, Manila.

In a post operation report to NBI Director Nestor Mantaring, NBI Special Investigator III Glenn Lacaran, of the NBI Intellectual Property Rights Division, said 4,300 pieces of fake Springmaid toothbrushes and 552,900 pieces of fake Springmaid combs were seized during a raid conducted at around 6 p.m. Tuesday, at a warehouse located at No. 1706 Biak na Bato St., corner Nicolas St., Tondo, Manila.

The warehouse is owned by Quirino Yu and Wilson Ang. The seized items were brought to a storage in Parañaque City for safekeeping.

The NBI is readying charges against Yu and Ang for violation of RA 8293, or the law on Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.

The raid was conducted after Victor Sia, of Placel Co., Inc., owner of the trademark of Springmaid, with business address at 225 YIC Building, Tabora St., Tondo, Manila, filed a complaint before the NBI regarding the fake toothbrushes and combs.              – With Sandy Araneta