NBI seizes P2.5B worth of counterfeit sunglasses, 3k pairs of fake slippers

The National Bureau of Investigation seized counterfeit signature sunglasses worth P2.5 billion in several shops and a warehouse in Manila.

According to a ''24 Oras Weekend'' report by John Consulta on Saturday, two companies complained after they found out that their products were being imitated.

“Ang sinasabi nitong mga nagbebenta ng fake items na ito na protektado rin yung kanilang mga mata dahil meron itong UV protection, pero sa totoo lang wala po. Hindi [ito] kagaya ng original na eyewear, guaranteed ang ultraviolet protection,” said NBI-NCR Assistant Regional Director Joel Tovera.

(Fake goods vendors assert that their products offer UV protection, but in reality, they don't. This is in contrast to the original eyewear, which provides guaranteed protection against UV radiation.)

Meanwhile, the NBI Intellectual Property Rights Division seized over 3,000 pairs of counterfeit slippers at a warehouse in Tondo, Manila.

According to the NBI, the complaint was filed by a Filipino company that discovered that their products were being copied in China and resold in the country at a lower price.

“Ang estilo nitong grupo na to ang bentahan nila is through online. Nawawalan ng trabaho yung iba dahil nga sa pagkalugi ng mga Filipino company na'to, naaapektuhan yung income nila,” said NBI-IRPD executive officer John Ignacio.

(They sell online. These activities negatively affect the income of Filipino companies and can even cause job losses. )

Individuals responsible for the production of counterfeit products will be charged with violating the Intellectual Property Code, while the products will be destroyed upon the approval of the court.  —Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News