Over 600 counterfeit Black Rhino wheels, valued at around US$140,000.00 (P7,000,000), were seized by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) during multiple raids conducted last October 23.
The operation was made by virtue of multiple search warrants issued by Branch 24 of the Regional Trial Court of Manila City against sellers of counterfeit Black Rhino wheels located in Makati, Manila, Parañaque, and Quezon City. The search warrants were granted when TSW Alloy Wheels, USA (TSW), the owner of the Black Rhino brand, filed complaints against the said sellers in violation of Intellectual Property laws in the Philippines.
The simultaneous raids covered nine stores and three warehouses identified by NBI’s Special Action Unit during months-long surveillance operations. The surveillance operations and the application for search warrants were made in view of several reports of accidents attributed to the use of counterfeit Black Rhino Wheels.
Multiple criminal and civil charges are now being prepared against the sellers of the counterfeit Black Rhino wheels.
TSW would like to caution the public on the extreme dangers of using counterfeit Black Rhino wheels which were seized, and those which are currently prevailing on the market. Counterfeit wheels are of a highly inferior quality and are incapable of carrying the loads for which they are supposedly rated for. This renders them particularly dangerous for use on the vehicles they are likely to be installed on.
Terence Scheckter, President of TSW, commented, “TSW values the safety of its customers through rigorous engineering and testing methods to ensure proper wheel load ratings. As such, the prevalence of counterfeit wheels carrying the Black Rhino brand will not be tolerated and violators will be sought after and prosecuted at the fullest extent of the law.”
Similar raids to seize counterfeit Black Rhino wheels have been conducted in South Africa last month by the South African Police Service’s Commercial Crime Unit.
