The Bureau of Customs – Port of Subic successfully apprehended two 40-foot container shipments containing counterfeit goods, such as Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Under Armour, Lacoste, GAP, Nike, Zara, Reebok, and other brands, in violation of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) regulations. This operation demonstrates ongoing efforts to combat the infringement of intellectual property and protect the rights of legitimate businesses.

Following the intelligence report received by Port of Subic District Collector Carmelita M. Talusan, she immediately issued consecutive Pre-Lodgment Control Orders. Through a 100% physical examination and cross-referencing of documentation, customs officers identified the containers carrying merchandise suspected of infringing upon protected intellectual property rights.

Acting on the report, Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio, together with District Collector Talusan and in partnership with other authorities, discovered 1,269 boxes of counterfeit products bearing trademarks and copyrighted materials without the required authorization from the rights holders. The shipments were initially reported to contain T-Shirts but were later found to contain assorted brand new apparel with logos and designs of branded goods, with an estimated value of Php240,000,000.00.

This successful operation is part of the unwavering commitment of the Bureau of Customs to protect the rights of intellectual property owners and prevent the circulation of counterfeit goods in the market. The brand owners and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) SBMA are in support of these operations, and the BOC Subic will further strengthen coordination.

Warrants of Seizure and Detention were issued against the subject shipments for violation of Section 155 of R.A. No. 8293 (Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines), in relation to Section 1113 (f) of R.A. No. 10863 (CMTA).

Collector Talusan stated that the Port of Subic reiterates its commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability, and compliance in all customs operations as it strives to create an environment conducive to legitimate trade and economic growth.#