The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and global fashion brand Guess intensified their campaign against counterfeit goods following the seizure of over 1.7 million fake items worth an estimated P15.8 billion in Divisoria, Manila—marking one of the country’s biggest anti-counterfeiting operations to date.
BOC, through its Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service – Intellectual Property Rights Division (CIIS-IPRD), conducted a follow-up inspection on May 23 with Atty. Kristian Nico Acosta, Legal Head of Guess Philippines. The team revisited warehouses in a Divisoria commercial complex where the counterfeit products—bags, clothes, and accessories bearing unauthorized logos of brands like Guess, Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton, and Tory Burch—were previously confiscated.
“These fakes aren’t just illegal. They endanger consumers and destroy legitimate businesses,” said Atty. Acosta. “Under Commissioner [Bienvenido] Rubio’s leadership, BOC has embraced technology, fast-tracked prosecution, and boosted cooperation with brand owners.”
He stressed that the targeted warehouses had long been flagged by Guess and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. The counterfeiters were selling items both in-store and online.
Acosta lauded the BOC citing streamlined procedures and data-driven enforcement as key to the agency’s improved operations. He also pointed to BOC’s active role in the 2024 E-Commerce MoU, which enhances accountability for online IPR violations.
“The BOC-IPRD’s modern approach is a model for IP enforcement,” Acosta added.
Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio welcomed the commendation. “This is about protecting Filipinos and creating a fair, honest market. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has given clear and strict instructions to stop counterfeit goods at the border and beyond.”
Rubio said the BOC will continue to work with brand owners, online platforms, and global agencies to uphold consumer safety and crack down on fake goods nationwide.
