July 26, 2012

      An estimated P122 million worth of fake Louis Vuitton products were seized by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) during simultaneous raids of four warehouses and commercial establishments in Manila last Tuesday.

     The raid stemmed from a complaint of Mayank Vaid in behalf of Louis Vuitton about fake Louis Vuitton products flooding the Manila shopping center areas.

      Investigation report disclosed that the said fake goods were traced to the following:

      5/F Floor, 660 THK Tower, Yuchengco St., Binondo, Manila;

      5/F and 6/F, P. Gomez Commercial Center, Quiapo, Manila; and warehouses located at F-45b and F-62 4/F, 11/88 Shopping Mall, Reina Regente St., Binondo, Manila, owned by John and Jane Doe; and

      Stalls 1B-9, 1B-11 and 1B-14, G/F located at 11/88 Shopping Mall, Reina Regente St., Binondo, Manila.

      By virtue of search warrant applied for and issued by the Manila RTC Br. 24 acting Presiding Judge Lyliha L. Abella-Aquino, the NBI operatives swooped down on the said warehouses and stalls.

     Seized were 2,111 Louis Vuitton products such as assorted bags, belts, wallets, and others.

      Charges for violation of RA 8293 are being prepared against the owners/proprietors of the said establishments and warehouses.

      MEANWHILE, in the relentless drive against violators of the Intellectual Property Rights Code, for the first half of January to June, of 2012, the NBI confiscated a huge quantity of assorted counterfeit goods estimated at P401.2 million.