CALOOCAN CITY, Oct. 31 (PIA) -- Operatives of National Bureau of Investigation-Special Action Unit (NBI-SAU) seized counterfeit Black Rhino Wheels with an estimated value of more or less Php 7 million, in line with their relentless campaign against counterfeit products.
NBI Officer-In-Charge (OIC) Director Eric B. Distor said that the counterfeit Black Rhino Wheels were seized in an operation which stemmed from the letter-complaint of Nicolas & De Vega Law Offices against the owners, managers, sellers, and operators reported to be engaged in the sale or distribution of counterfeit wheels bearing the Black Rhino marks and trade name, in violation of the rights Just Wheels and Wheel Gallery protected under the Intellectual Property code of the Philippines.
The manufacturer of Black Rhino Wheels is Just Wheels, a corporation duly incorporated under the laws of the State of California, USA and doing business under the name and style, TSW Alloy Wheels.
Wheel Gallery, a corporation duly incorporated under the Philippine laws, is the sole and exclusive distributor of Black Rhino Wheels in the Philippines. On February 2009, Just Wheels was issued by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) a Certificate of Registration for the Black Rhino Wheels trademark, renewed on February 2019, with validity for another 10 years until February 2029.
Nicolas & De Vega Law Offices is the designated representative/counsel by Just Wheels/TSW Alloy Wheels and Wheel Gallery to institute any action for Trademark Infringement, together with any other related cases that will be filed before the court, including Unfair Competition.
With dispatch, NBI-SAU operatives conducted surveillance and test-buy operations to verify the report. Operatives were able to ascertain the veracity thereof, thus found the same to be true and correct.
The following were identified at different areas in Manila, Makati City, Paranaque City, and Quezon City as in possession and engaged in sale/distribution of wheels bearing the Black Rhino marks and trade name as well as those passed off as the same: Annika Tire Center and its warehouse (Manila), Raf Tire Center (Manila), Empire Tire Center (Manila), E.S. Fargo Tire Center (Manila), Fargo Tire Center (Manila), NCL Miller (Quezon City), R.A. Alawiya (Quezon City), Gomags Trading (Paranaque City), Golance Tire Center (Makati City), and Wheelhaus Autocare and its warehouse (Makati City).
On October 23, 2020, in coordination with the local police, accompanied by the court sheriff, NBI-SAU operatives, augmented by NBI-Anti-Fraud Division (NBI-AFD) implemented Search Warrants in the presence of the business owners, their staff, and barangay representatives. Seized in the operation were 638 pieces of counterfeit Black Rhino Wheels with an estimated value of more or less Php 7 Million. The seized counterfeit wheels were properly documented, inventoried, and taken to a secured warehouse for safekeeping.
According to the complainant, the simultaneous raids conducted by the NBI is the first ever in the world and that business owners of Black Rhino would have travelled all the way from the US to join the raids if it were not for travel restrictions due to the pandemic.
NBI-SAU is preparing the documentation for the return of the Search Warrants to the issuing court and for the filing of charges against the persons liable for violation of Section 155 (Trademark Infringement) and 168 (Unfair Competition) of RA 8293 (Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines). (NBI/PIA-NCR)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
0 Comments