THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) yesterday confiscated two 40-footer vans at the Port of Manila containing fake merchandize including medicine worth over P400 million.

In a press briefing, Commissioner Rozzano “Ruffy” Biazon, said the items include 130,000 capsule of “counterfeit” “Tuseran Forte”, an over-the-counter medicine for fever, 55,000 pieces of fake cellphone batteries for several branded names of cellular phones and 9,000 pieces of counterfeit cellphone chargers.

Other fake items discovered during the inventory were: 720 pieces of Louis Vuitton bags; 180 pieces of Coach bags; 10,000 pieces of Hermes pouch/bag; 180 pieces of Chanel bags; 810 pieces of Gucci bags; and, 30,000 pieces of wristwatches.

Biazon said the shipment, which was also miscdeclared as “plastic wares,” came from mainland China via Hong Kong and consigned to “Imax Harbor.” It arrived at the Port of Manila late last year.

The BOC’s Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD-BOC), a unit under the Intelligence Group under Deputy Commissioner Danilo Lim, had recommended for the holding and subsequent apprehension of the shipment, citing reliable information that the vans contained fake items.

Atty. Zae Carrie de Guzman, IPRD chief, noted the apprehension was the second biggest apprehension by the BOC since Biazon became Customs chief last year.

“This is the second biggest apprehension of counterfeit shipments made by the IPRD for the year following the recently conducted raid at the King’s Plaza building in Binondo, Manila which yielded fake luxury branded items with an estimated value of P700 million,” De Guzman added.

Incidentally, the Philippine Property Office (IPO) in a letter to Biazon, lauded the bureau, specifically the IPRD, for its active role in the government’s drive against the proliferation of counterfeit products in the country.