ILOILO CITY – In a significant crackdown on counterfeit goods, authorities in Iloilo City confiscated PHP1.1 million worth of fake cigarettes during a raid on Saturday. A local trader was arrested for violating intellectual property laws, marking a major step in the battle against illegal trade in the region.
According to Philippines News Agency, the operation was executed early in the morning when officers from the Iloilo City Police Office, armed with a search warrant from the Regional Trial Court 6 Branch 39, inspected a residence in Sitio Kawayanan, Barangay Tabuc Suba, La Paz. The raid, led by the intelligence unit, resulted in the seizure of various brands of counterfeit cigarettes, including Mighty Green, Camel, Marvel green and red, and Winston red. The 57-year-old businessman owning the property was taken into custody and is currently held at the custodial facility of the Iloilo City Police Station 2.
The items recovered during the operation have been placed with the exhibit custodian of the City Intelligence Unit. The suspect faces multiple charges under Republic Act 8293, the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, including infringement, unfair competition, false designation of origin, and cancellation of design registration.