BOC Intel Group seizes P15.8 billion fake goods

On May 28, 2025

A customs officer from the IPRD going through the fake items during the May 23 operation at several warehouses in Manila (photo credit: BOC-PIAD).

THE Intelligence Group of the Bureau of Customs (BOC-IG) under Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy, scored another major victory against counterfeit goods with the seizure of over 1.7 million pieces of imitation products worth more than P15.8 billion.

In partnership with the local representatives of global brand ‘Guess’ headed by Atty. Kristian Nico Acosta, operatives from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) and the Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD) swooped down on several warehouses at a commercial complex in Divisoria, Manila, last May 23, where the stored fake goods were discovered.

A statement from the BOC said the fake items include bags, clothes, and accessories illegally using the trademarks of well-known global brands such as Guess, Michael Kors, Coach, Louis Vuitton, and Tory Burch.

Acosta, Legal Head of Guess Group, Philippines, said that a significant portion of the seized goods bore unauthorized reproductions of their brand.

“I’ve been doing enforcement, especially with the Bureau of Customs, for more than a decade, and under the leadership of Commissioner Rubio, we saw dynamic developments, which involve the utilization of technological tools in pinpointing and tracking counterfeiters, in collaborating with brand owners, and most importantly, a simplified process in prosecuting counterfeiters and illegal importers of counterfeit goods,” Acosta said.

Fake ‘Guess’ bags are among the items seized during the May 23 operation by the IPRD, a unit under the Intelligence Group (photo credit: BOC-PIAD).

He also noted that the target of the recent operation had long been on Guess’s ‘internal watchlist’ and had also been flagged by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.

He added their ‘in-house investigations’ confirmed that these counterfeiters had been distributing fakes through both physical stores and online platforms, putting consumers and brand reputation at risk.

Acosta also heaped praises on DCI Uy whose leadership has brought about streamlined procedures, the use of advanced technologies in investigations, and full transparency in operations.

These initiatives by the IG, he noted, made the IPRD a “model agency” in effective, cross-border IP enforcement.

“The BOC-IPRD’s efficient, tech-driven processes and collaborative spirit with brand owners like Guess show how government and private sector can work hand-in-hand to protect consumers and promote fair competition,” he emphasized.

Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio welcomed the commendation and reaffirmed the BOC’s stance on protecting intellectual property and consumer safety.

“We are serious about our mission to keep counterfeit goods out of the country. This is about protecting the public, supporting legitimate businesses, and ensuring a level playing field in the market,” Rubio said.