The Bureau of Customs seized smuggled goods worth at least P3 billion from China during a raid in Tondo, Manila.
The seized items were apparently intended for sale during the Holiday season.
Most of the confiscated goods are now flooding the street markets and stores in Metro Manila and nearby provinces as Christmas season nears, the Bureau of Customs said.
Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said combined agents from the BOC and Intellectual Property Rights Division, the National Bureau of Investigation raided several units located at the Vicente Tower in Dagupan st., Tondo Manila and discovered tons of imported smuggled goods ready for distribution in various supermarkets and stores in Metro Manila.
The BoC said the raid was conducted following a three-month surveillance operation.
Lapeña said they conducted the raid after receiving information that counterfeit products from China were being smuggled into the country.
The confiscated contrabands included hundreds of boxes of toys, counterfeit shoes, clothes, cellular phones, and other merchandise.
The owners of the counterfeit items, all Chinese businessmen, failed to present documents that the items were legally imported or paid duties and taxes.