BOC seizes P482.63M worth of counterfeit apparel at Port of Manila

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) confiscated counterfeit apparel worth an estimated P482.63 million at the Port of Manila, originating from Bangladesh and transshipped through Singapore to evade customs profiling.

Customs authorities flagged the containers based on intelligence reports of misdeclaration and Intellectual Property Rights infringement.

A physical inspection revealed 1,287 boxes of counterfeit branded apparel falsely declared as socks.

The seized items bore trademarks from numerous global and local brands.

BOC Assistant Commissioner Atty. Vincent Philip C. Maronilla stated that the operation reflects the BOC's resolve to ensure only legitimate goods enter the Philippine market.

The BOC issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention for the shipment due to violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, and criminal charges will be filed against those involved.