Even as Customs officials are set to file smuggling charges against the officials of Telsphere International Trading Corp. (TELSPHERE) later today for an earlier attempt to smuggle Sixty Million Pesos worth of illegally imported counterfeit goods into the country, TELSPHERE is once again embroiled in another smuggling try when two (2) more forty-footer container vans also consigned to said company were seized recently by Bureau of Customs (BOC) Intelligence Group (IG) Intellectual Property Rights Division (IG-IPRD) operatives under IG Deputy Commissioner Danilo Lim.
Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said during the presentation of the seized counterfeit items worth SIXTY MILLION PESOS (Php60,000,000.00) to the media today that TELSPHERE xxmisdeclared their shipment which arrived at the Port of Manila (POM) from China on August 22, 2012 as kitchenware, batteries, shoes, foods, clothing, seat cushion massage, backing paper, manicure and pedicure seats among others, not only to avoid paying the right duties and taxes, but to be able to get the counterfeit goods through the Customs gates.
However, upon 100% inspection of TELSPHERE’s shipment by IPRD operatives, it turned out that the two (2) forty footer container vans contained fake brands of Adidas, Abercrombie, Levis including motorcycle parts and tire brands like Michellin and Dunlop, beauty products like L’ Oreal and other food products that required prior clearance from the Food and Drugs Administration.
“Had these fake brands been able to get through Customs, it could have threatened the safety of consumers. Moreover, its negative impact on the local business and labor would be tremendous,” Biazon said.
“This is the reason why, aside from maximizing revenues for the government, I have also made instruction to all Customs frontline officials, particularly the IPRD under lawyer Zsae Carrie De Guzman to double their efforts in going after smugglers of counterfeit goods,” the Commissioner added.
For his part, IG Deputy Commissioner Lim said, the fake items shall eventually be disposed of in accordance with our existing laws and rules in order to avoid its getting into the local market.
