April 14, 2009
The National Bureau of Investigation-Intelligence Special Operations Divisions (NBI-ISOD) recently confiscated in a series of raids more than P100 million worth of counterfeit Lacoste goods against stall owners and occupants of storage areas located in neighboring cities of Pasay and Parañaque. The raids yielded more than 35,000 pieces of fake Lacoste apparel.
The successful enforcement action is part of Lacoste S.A.’s aggressive campaign against piracy, which is spearheaded and implemented by Bengzon Negre Untalan Intellectual Property Attorneys (BNU), Lacoste’s counsel and attorney-in-fact in the Philippines. BNU employs the aid of government enforcement agencies, such as the NBI, and prestigious IP investigation firms, in implementing Lacoste’s anti-piracy campaign.
The NBI-ISOD searched the establishments and confiscated the counterfeit goods on the strength of the search warrants issued by the Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court of Manila. Lacoste, through BNU, will file criminal cases for violation of R.A. No. 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines against the owners of the stalls and warehouse facilities.