The Daily Tribune (Philippines) 16th Jan 2006

NBI Seizes P2-M Fake Perfumes, Cosmetics

The prospect of earning “easy money“ may have enticed enterprising traders into selling fake perfumes and cosmetics in busy Divisoria in Manila.

Agents of the National Bureau of Invetigation (NBI) discovered this after confiscating some P2 million worth of such counterfeit items following a series of raids conducted in Divisoria and Binondo late last week.

NBI Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD) chief Jose Justo Yap yesterday said his agents swooped down on the establishments after receiving reports they were selling fake L'Oreal and Maybelline cosmetics, Ralph Lauren/Polo, Parfums Guy Laroche (Drakkar), LAncome and Giorgio Armani perfumes.

Yap disclosed those raided were one retail outlet and two stockrooms of Meowndes General Merchandise owned by Kevin Go, Sholan Go and Melogen Generala.

The retail outlet was the Commercio Street entrance of the New Divisoria Mall while the stockrooms were located at Unit 5S-15, 5th Floor, Juan Luna St., and Unit 205, 2nd Floor Doña Maria Lim Building, Ilang-Ilang St., Binondo.

After Yap said NBI agents headed by Dennis Siyhian seized at least 1,970 assorted L'Oreal and Maybelline cosmetics, Polo Sport/Ralph Lauren, Drakkar, Lancome and Armani perfumes during the simultaneous raids.

He added the NBI placed the establishments under surveillance operations and conducted test buys to confirm the evidence gathered through market-research firm Orion Support Inc.

After confirming the activities, Yap said the IPRD immediately obtained the corresponding search warrants from Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 24 Judge Antonio Eugenio Jr.

Article written by:
Jun P. Yap
The Daily Tribune (Philippines)

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