COUNTERFEIT Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Versace and Fendi products have been intercepted in two different occasions at the airport.
This is the second time since June 2001 that the Customs Services Division intercepted a huge volume of imitation brand name items, including traveling bags, handbags, wallets, purses, T-shirts and key chains.
Customs Director Joe Mafnas yesterday said the fake items were in 15 big boxes consigned to businessmen on Saipan.
The boxes originated from South Korea and were brought here via Asiana Airlines and Korean Airlines last week.
Mafnas said the intercepted items will be incinerated at the airport.
Customs called in brand name product managers and representatives, and they have determined that the confiscated items were counterfeit.
An investigation is now ongoing.
“If we find out that these consignees are the same ones we caught sneaking in fake products before, we would be imposing hefty fines and pursue filing charges,” Mafnas told Variety.
Joshua Paulino, assistant manager of Louis Vuitton boutique at the DFS Galleria, lauded Customs for intercepting the fake products.
“Louis Vuitton doesn’t want unsuspecting customers to buy these products and get disappointed upon knowing that what they purchased is fake. We want to remind customers that there’s only one boutique here on Saipan that sells original Louis Vuitton products, and that’s in DFS Galleria,” Paulino said.
He said backdoor businesses cheat not only legitimate businesses, but the government as well by not paying taxes.
Under CNMI law, the penalty for importing fake items may reach $2,000 or five years of imprisonment, or both.
“We would be very strict in penalizing those people who have known that these items are illegal and yet continue to bring them here. They want to challenge Customs laws and we won’t allow that,” Mafnas said.
