Gov’t crackdown on counterfeits hits P18.64B for January-September
November 28, 2025
The 15-member National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) seized P18.64 billion worth of counterfeit products from January to September 2025, highlighting a whole-of-government thrust in enforcement efforts against illicit trade.
“In line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., IPOPHL, together with the NCIPR member-agencies, continue to be relentless in acting against illicit trade and it is thanks to our coordinated whole-of-government efforts that we are striking at counterfeiters who aim to take advantage of Filipino consumers,” said IPOPHL Acting Director General Nathaniel S. Arevalo.
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) once more accounted for the lion’s share for this year, totaling P17.21 billion. Last year, the BOC seized P35.24 billion worth of goods or more than 99% of the total haul that is currently the highest on record.
Majority of the counterfeit items seized by the BOC¹ were from several warehouses in a commercial complex in Divisoria, Manila last May 23, 2025. The operation was conducted by their Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service – Intellectual Property Rights Division (CIIS-IPRD) in cooperation with the Guess Group in the Philippines.
The BOC seized 1.27 million pieces of counterfeit products estimated at 15.8 billion. These included bags, clothes and accessories illegally using the trademarks of well-known global brands like Guess, Michael Kors, Coach, Louis Vuitton and Tory Burch.
Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also reported seizures of P980.4 million worth of counterfeit products while the Philippine National Police (PNP) contributed seizures amounting to P456.7 million. These were higher compared to the P14.50 million and the P25.36 million respectively reported last year.
The NBI earlier reported that it seized² 19,546 pieces of counterfeit sunglasses and prescription glasses bearing various Oakley trademarks, and 42,258 pieces of counterfeit Ray-Ban sunglasses and prescription glasses bearing the trademarks of Luxottica.
These items were seized in four locations in Binondo, Manila and one location in Baclaran, Pasay City, and had an estimated worth of P800 million.
“Despite the continued successes of IPOPHL and the NCIPR, there is still much work ahead of us. Filipinos can expect more as we gather additional information on our member-agencies’ operations against counterfeit products,” assured IPOPHL’s Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Office (IEO) Supervising Director Christine V. Pangilinan-Canlapan. # # # (Joseph Frederic Nacino, Communications and Marketing Writer)
¹ https://customs.gov.ph/boc-and-guess-group-strengthen-fight-against-counterfeitgoods/
² https://nbi.gov.ph/press_releases/2025/08092025/8385/