Fake North Face bags worth PHP20-M seized in Pasay

The NBI agents placed the establishment under surveillance and conducted test buys to confirm the evidence gathered through Orion Support Incorporated (OSI) (PNA photo)

MANILA, Aug. 2—  Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation-National Capital Region (NBI-NCR) seized counterfeit The North Face bags worth PHP20 million in a simultaneous raid in Pasay City on Tuesday.

The operatives E.S. Ebolin General Merchandise and/or Jenny Ang Bags’ two retail stores located at Stalls A30 & A31 and Stalls B46 & B48, Ground Floor, Baclaran Terminal Plaza Mall, Taft Avenue Ext., and four stockrooms located Sunjoy Tower 1, No. 115 Capt. Ambo, Street, all located in Pasay City.

Seized from these establishments were 6,742 counterfeit The North Face bags.

The NBI agents placed the establishment under surveillance and conducted test buys to confirm the evidence gathered through Orion Support Incorporated (OSI), a market research firm representing the Intellectual Property Rights of The North Face Apparel Corp. in the Philippines. OSI and NBI simultaneously conducted several investigative activities to determine the subjects’ illegal activities.

Judge Maria Victoria A. Soriano-Villadolid of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 24, City of Manila, issued the search warrants for the operation.

Charges of trademark infringement under the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines or Republic Act 8293 are being prepared against the owners of the raided establishments. (Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan/Vanessa Panesa (PNA)