BoC seizes unregistered health products worth P31.5 million
The Bureau of Customs (BoC) said it seized counterfeit and unregistered health products worth 31.5 million pesos from two warehouses in Santa Cruz, Manila.
In a statement on Monday, the BoC said the foreclosures took place last week.
The Intellectual Property Rights Division of the Bank of Canada’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service coordinated a team consisting of representatives from the Port of Manila, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. One of the locations inspected was on Ongpin Street and the other was along Fernandez Street.
The seized goods bore brands such as Lianhua Lung Cleansing Tea, Healthy Brain Pills, Gluta Lipo, Lidan Tablets, Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa, Vita herbs, among others. These goods must be cleared and registered with the Food and Drug Authority.
The goods seized at the Ongpin Street warehouse were valued at 9.5 million pesos, while the goods at the Fernandez Street location were valued at 22 million pesos.
The office said an investigation is underway for possible violations of the Customs and Tariffs Modernization Act or Republic Act 10863, the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines or the Republic 8293, which deals with copyright infringement, and the Food and Drug Administration Act. or Republic Act 9711.
The BoC said in a separate statement on Monday that the port of Subic also destroyed counterfeit cigarettes worth 38 million pesos last week.
The container containing the cigarettes also contained counterfeit clothing. The shipment arrived the previous year and was confiscated by the port for violation of National Resolution No. 079-2005, Section 1113(f) of Republic Act 10863, and Section 155 of Republic Act 8293.
The BoC said the destruction of the cigarettes was carried out at an accredited facility in Marilao, Bulacan.
The office seized 3.89 billion pesos of contraband goods and destroyed 7.70 billion pesos of confiscated goods at the end of March.
The BoC recorded collections of P643.56 billion in 2021, exceeding the target by 4.7%. The BoC aims to collect 671.66 billion pula in 2022. —Tobias Jared Tomas
