Seized Fake Products Hit PHP40 Billion In 2024

The National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) has intensified its crackdown on counterfeit goods, with seized fake products reaching a record-high value of PHP40.99 billion in 2024, the Philippine News Agency reported.

The largest haul last year came from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), which confiscated PHP34.7 billion worth of counterfeit goods. I Photo: Bureau of Customs Philippines

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) announced that the value of confiscated counterfeit goods surged by 52% compared to 2023, when PHP26.99 billion worth of fake products were seized.

The largest haul last year came from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), which confiscated PHP34.7 billion worth of counterfeit goods.

“Among the biggest operations conducted by the BOC were its July raid in Binondo, which resulted in the seizure of PHP11 billion worth of counterfeit luxury goods, and its November operation at a Divisoria mall, where PHP7 billion worth of fake high-end products were confiscated,” IPOPHL stated.

Other agencies also made significant contributions to the crackdown. The National Bureau of Investigation seized PHP3.42 billion worth of counterfeit goods, while the Philippine National Police confiscated PHP2.83 billion.

Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration seized PHP30.20 million worth of counterfeit drugs and health-related products.

“Counterfeit products harm the economy by undermining legitimate businesses and eroding market trust. They also expose consumers to unsafe products that have not undergone regulatory standard checks,” IPOPHL Director General Brigitte da Costa-Villaluz said, commending the NCIPR’s proactive efforts.

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“The NCIPR will continue to safeguard our borders from becoming transit points, our warehouses from serving as hiding dens, and our markets from thriving as hubs for counterfeiting,” added IPOPHL Deputy Director General for Policy, Legal Affairs, and External Relations Nathaniel Arevalo.