26 October 2005
Fake Nestle brand sellers arrested
MALASIQUI – A giant food manufacturer in the country, with the help of lawmen, is running after a syndicate engaged in faking its products and distributing these to various small market outlets at cheaper prices.
Nestle Philippines launched the campaign to protect its products after four store owners inside the public market here were arrested by a composite team from the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC), Department of Trade and Industry and the Malasiqui police last week. Nestle Philippines complained that these stores were selling fake Nestle products, like coffee, milk, chocolate, juice drink and others, to the great prejudice of the company.
Now facing charges are Jessica Mendiguarin, Imelda Frias, Dionisia Salinas and Milagros Cabuang, owners of the stores from where the fake items were seized.
Superintendent Leopoldo Rivera said separate search warrants issued by a Manila regional trial court judge were issued on the four storeowners. Initially, the four store owners told the police that the fake Nestle products were distributed to them by a Chinese businessman from Manila whom they did not, however, identify.
Nestle said it had to resort to court action because the unabated manufacturing and distribution of fake products carrying the name of the company have affected the integrity of their own brands.
The DTI was asked to help in the operation because manufacturing of fake products or imitations constitute unfair trade practice and other trade law violations.
The PACC brought all the fake products to their headquarters for their own laboratory analysis while separate analysis on the fake products will also be undertaken by Nestle.
Nestle Philippines launched the campaign to protect its products after four store owners inside the public market here were arrested by a composite team from the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC), Department of Trade and Industry and the Malasiqui police last week. Nestle Philippines complained that these stores were selling fake Nestle products, like coffee, milk, chocolate, juice drink and others, to the great prejudice of the company.
Now facing charges are Jessica Mendiguarin, Imelda Frias, Dionisia Salinas and Milagros Cabuang, owners of the stores from where the fake items were seized.
Superintendent Leopoldo Rivera said separate search warrants issued by a Manila regional trial court judge were issued on the four storeowners. Initially, the four store owners told the police that the fake Nestle products were distributed to them by a Chinese businessman from Manila whom they did not, however, identify.
Nestle said it had to resort to court action because the unabated manufacturing and distribution of fake products carrying the name of the company have affected the integrity of their own brands.
The DTI was asked to help in the operation because manufacturing of fake products or imitations constitute unfair trade practice and other trade law violations.
The PACC brought all the fake products to their headquarters for their own laboratory analysis while separate analysis on the fake products will also be undertaken by Nestle.
