Bureau of Customs personnel shred counterfeit shoes imported from China inside a warehouse in Manila, Philippines. (Photoville International)
MANILA, Philippines – Using a shredder, the Bureau of Customs (BOC)destroyed 150-thousand pairs of confiscated counterfeit shoes and slippers in Manila, Tuesday.Those fake footwear that were imported from China have a total value of 50 million pesos.
Through the help of an informant the bureau was able to confiscate the counterfeit items in a warehouse in Parañaque City last year.
“We inspected the warehouse in Parañaque to see if they have paid the right duties and taxes. But upon entry of their premises we saw these fake products,” Atty. Zsae De Guzman, Chief of Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD) of the BOC said.
The Customs bureau said, it took almost a year before they could destroy the fake goods because certain procedures must be followed like the issuance of subpoenas to the consignees and brokers, the need to involve the owners of concerned product brands and the conduct of hearings.
BOC, however, admitted that despite their intensified efforts, smuggling of counterfeit products is still thriving.
“We have plenty of ports, we can’t monitor all of it so despite our efforts, fake goods still proliferate. But as much as we can, we conduct raids so those that pass our ports will be confiscated outside,” De Guzman said.
In line with this, the bureau is asking for the public’s cooperation by giving information on the whereabouts of warehouses that are storing fake products.The agency also appeals to the public not to patronize counterfeit items.
“Based on the U.S. report, a country is losing millions of dollars because of the proliferation of fake goods,” De Guzman added.
Customs is still in the process of filing the necessary charges against the importer and broker of the counterfeit footwear. (Victor Cosare / UNTV News)