Last year, 150,000 pairs of counterfeit sneakers- valued at $1 million- were seized from a warehouse in Olivares Compound in Parenque City, Philippines. The warehouse was shut down, Jon Taffer style, but it wasn't until recently that Philippines' authorities destroyed all of the kicks; which again were worth approximately $1million.
The lot of fake kicks included knock-off Nikes, Vans, Converse, Adidas , Skechers, and more.
“These counterfeit shoes and slippers were smuggled from China and were part of a big raid we had last year inside the Olivarez Compound in Parañaque City. We seized the warehouse to check the legality of the importation of goods but the owner failed to produce proof of payment of duties and taxes from Customs, consequently, the warehouse was padlocked and sealed for BOC custody,” Customs Commissioner John P. Sevilla said.
The one-year gap between the seizure and the actual destruction of the smuggled products was attributed to the long process that included issuance of subpoenas to the concerned consignees and brokers, the need to secure the involvement of brand owners, and the conduct of hearings in accordance with existing regulations.
Preventing counterfeit sneakers from reaching the market is always a plus, but don't you think they could've done something better with the shoes than pumping them through a wood chipper? I'm sure there are plenty of people around the world who are in desperate need of some footwear, regardless of their lack of authenticity.
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