P6.1-M counterfeit ‘slimming coffee’ seized in Bulacan

More than P6 million worth of alleged counterfeit slimming coffee was confiscated from a warehouse in Plaridel, Bulacan on Tuesday. Courtesy: PNP-CIDG via Karen De Guzman, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — More than P6 million worth of alleged counterfeit slimming coffee was confiscated from a warehouse in Plaridel, Bulacan on Tuesday.

According to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), police implemented a search warrant at a warehouse in Barangay Parulan for alleged violations of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.

Among those seized were finished products of the allegedly counterfeit and trademark-infringing slimming coffee, along with raw materials, packaging materials, and production and manufacturing equipment.

The total value of the confiscated items was estimated at P6.1 million.

Eight suspects were arrested including one Chinese national, five Filipino men, and two Filipino women. 

All were employees of the facility, according to the CIDG.

Police said the suspects were allegedly caught in possession and control of the trademark-infringing products and were allegedly producing and manufacturing the slimming coffee without authorization from the trademark owner.

CIDG director Maj. Gen. Robert Morico II said the operation forms part of the agency’s enforcement of intellectual property laws, which seek to protect the exclusive rights of creators, inventors, and other rights holders.

The CIDG also warned consumers about the potential health risks posed by counterfeit food products, including slimming coffee.

“Because trademark-infringing or counterfeit food products like slimming coffee may bypassed strict evaluation by regulatory bodies, these might be laced with highly toxic or banned chemical substances to force rapid weight loss—these can pose a severe, multi-faceted threat to public health and consumer safety,” the statement read.

The CIDG said it would continue its crackdown on counterfeiting, trademark infringement, and other commercial and economic crimes nationwide.

It also urged the public to report suspicious or illicit operations in their communities, stressing that maintaining public safety requires cooperation between law enforcement and the public.