Philippine News - A Php40-M($800,000) worth of fake cigarettes was confiscated in Iligan City.

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Fake shampoos, fake whitening soaps and dishwashing liquid down to fake cigarettes are just examples of fake products that truly exist in the country and rampant manufacturing of these counterfeit products is very clear and uncontrollable.

The effect of this kind of problem creates a destructive chain of major problems for the Filipinos, from health danger to country's economy or for the business sectors.

These unregulated products were sold for about 40% cheaper that branded products in the market. Thus, the bad effect of this, triggers disorientation and disconnection of relationship among consumers, industries and the government.

Jesus Varela, chairman of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry said:

"The flooding of pirated products in the market hurt brand owners, consumers and industries and even the government itself."

Furthermore, George Barcelon, president of PCCI added:

" It suspends expansion of businesses and caused discouragement of foreign investors for the country."

Enough said, about the threaths it produced, the Philippine National Police(PNP) in cooperation of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group(CIDG) of Lanao del Norte conducted two separate operations from two stores and confiscated a combined 40-million pesos worth of fake cigarettes in Iligan City.

Supt. Lemuel Gonda, spokeperson of PNP-Region X said to the Bombo Radio that the operation conducted after the two big tobacco companies Philip Morris Phils. and Fortune Tobacco Corporation filed a complaint at the desk of CIDG-Lanao regarding about manufacturing of fake cigarettes from some certain individuals.

Search warrants were immediately released by the Presiding Judge Alberto Quinto of Regional Trial Court Branch 21. These warrants were for the stores of:

• Kim Ryan Molina
• Zhang Jintao
• Stanley
• Anne Co and
• Ongmen Chavez

Additional information were gathered that the suspects owned the following stores:

• TYF General Merchandise
• J2 Motor Parts & Accessories
• Nick-Nick General Merchandise
• Villa Laya Building at Sumandar Apartment

All were based in Iligan City.

These store owners will now face their case of violating the penal provisions of intellectual property code.

After the operation, there are 604 cartoons and 12 reams of various kind of fake cigarettes were confiscated by the enforcers. All worth 40-million pesos.

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Image credit: http://tabako.ph/the-industry/illicit-cigarette-trade
Sources1: http://bisayanews.com/cebuano-news/p40-m-halaga-ng-mga-pekeng-sigarilyo-nakumpiska-sa-iligan-city/
Sources2: http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/07/19/1604185/fake-products-harm-economy-pcci?nomobile=1
Sources3: http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2017/06/17/billions-fake-products-seized-bulacan.html

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