P10.6M fake wristwatches seized

3 July 2010

AT least P10.6 million worth of fake Ben 10, Superman, Batman and Harry Potter wristwatches were seized by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation during a series of raids in Quiapo, Manila recently.
Raided were the two stockrooms and one sales outlet at Stall No. 1, Ground Floor, Unit 1, Second Floor, and at Unit 6, Sixth Floor, all located in Seahorse Commercial Center, Carriedo St., Quiapo.
NBI officials said the raids were based from the complaints of DC Comics and Warner Bros., makers of the original wristwatches bearing the cartoon characters.
Atty. Dante Bonoan, head of the NBI Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD), said the raids were conducted by virtue of search warrants issued by Judge Antonio Eugenio, of the Manila Regional Trial Court last Thursday.
The operatives were able to seized from the establishments 15, 132 pieces of assorted counterfeit wristwatches of the said cartoon characters.
Authorities said the owners of the stalls are now facing charges of Trademark Infringement and Unfair Competition under the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines or Republic Act 8293. Jerico Javier