CIDG seizes P2.7-M smuggled computer games

MANILA, Philippines - Police arrested 32 people and confiscated smuggled personal computer (PC) and play station (PSP) software games worth P2.7 million during simultaneous raids on 11 stores and a warehouse in Metro Manila recently.

Operatives from the Anti-Transnational and Cyber Crime Division (ATCCD) of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) seized 1,060 pieces of PC and PSP games in raids on various malls and at the Datablitz warehouse in Pasay City.

Senior Superintendent Gilbert Sosa, ATCCD chief, said 11 of the 32 suspects were charged with unfair competition in relation to the intellectual property rights law, an offense punishable by a prison term of two to five years, a fine of as much as P200,000, or both.

Charged were Glen Tena, Arvin Lamanilao, Christopher Decierdo, Frederick Japsay, Billie Jay Cuadra, Christian Dadula, Nico Villegas, Elvis Martin, Clint Fructuoso, John Badeo and Shannon Rosales.

Sosa said the raids stemmed from the complaint of Jose Enrico Demetrio Dingle, head of security of IPVG, owner of X-Play Online Games Inc., which is the exclusive distributor of Blizzard Entertainment games and NBA 2K13 products in the country.

According to Sosa, Datablitz Inc. is not authorized to distribute and sell these products. He added that the software games and DVD products were smuggled into the country from Hong Kong and Singapore.

Sosa also reminded the public to check the seal of authenticity when buying computer games and other software products and to buy them only at authorized distributor shops.

– Non Alquitran, Alexis Romero