A consignment of counterfeit branded clothing with an estimated value of P482.6 million was seized by the Bureau Customs (BOC) after arriving at the Port of Manila.

The fake goods originated in Bangladesh and transited through Singapore in an attempt to bypass the bureau’s screening. A press release from the agency said that an intelligence report led customs to flag the containers for closer scrutiny, resulting in the discovery of 1,287 boxes of counter branded clothing falsely declared as socks. Each counterfeit piece was estimated to have a market value of P2,500, totaling over P482 million.

On October 9, customs conducted a 100% physical examination of the shipment, confirming the misdeclaration and the infringement of intellectual property rights. The seized clothing bore trademarks of numerous international and local brands, including: Jag, Bench, Zara, Givenchy, Fubu, Lee, H&M, Cotton On, Lacost, Burberry, Essentials, Champion, Jordan, Levi’s, Bathing Ape, Oakley, RRJ, Calvin Klein, and Off-white.

October 28, customs issued a warrant of seizure and detention, citing violations of Section 118 (prohibited importation) of the Customs Modernization and Tar Act, as well as related Sections 1113 and 1401, and also Section 36 of Republic Act No. 8293, or Philippine Intellectual Property Code.

The BOC said the shipment will now be forfeited in accordance with the law and that criminal charges will be filed against those responsible

Brand representatives expressed appreciation for the vigilance and dedication of customs in protecting intellectual property and maintaining fair competition.

On October 30, the bureau conducted an examination the seized items, led by Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip Maronilla. Also participating in the examination were the BOC Intelligence and Investigation Service director and representatives from the affected brands, who verified the shipment of counterfeit goods.