NBI agents raid 33 shops selling counterfeit luxury goods in a mall in Mandaue City on Thursday, October 17. | Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Law enforcers confiscated counterfeit luxury products worth P200 million from a total of 33 stores inside a mall in Mandaue City, Cebu on Thursday, October 17.
The raid was conducted by the Intellectual Property Rights Division of the National Bureau of Investigation Manila (IPRD-NBI Manila).
According to John Ignacio, team leader of IPRD-NBI Manila, the operation stemmed from a complaint by international luxury brand, Louis Vuitton, on August against the proliferation of counterfeit bags and accessories in the city.
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With this, law enforcers immediately applied for search warrants from a Manila Regional Trial Court to check the contents of 33 stores located at the second floor of a mall in Mandaue City.
Ignacio said that they conducted surveillance and a test buy before raiding their targets.
Authorities estimated that the confiscated fake bags, shoes, belts, wallets, and other items were valued at P200 million.
A representative of the luxury brand said that they received a tip about the sale of counterfeits of their products in Mandaue.
This prompted them to ask for the assistance of NBI Manila who then coordinated with personnel from their Central Visayas and Cebu district offices.
According to Ignacio, many of the Louis Vuitton items in the Cebu market now are counterfeits as the brand has yet to build an official boutique in the province.
Ignacio also said that they would be coordinating with the building administration for the identities of the owners of the stores they raided.
He said that the store owners would likely be charged with trademark infringement and unfair competition.
Following this raid, Ignacio urged Cebuano consumers to purchase items at the official retail stores and to refrain from buying counterfeit luxury goods.