Fake Shampoo Seized by NBI in Quiapo Raid

Some P800,000 worth of counterfeit shampoo and hair conditioners were seized by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation during a raid conducted over the weekend in Quiapo, Manila.

Arrested was Dong Jin Pei, alleged owner of the raided stockroom located at the 5th floor of the Equitable Banking Corp. building.

According to the NBI's Intellectual Property Rights Division, a complaint was filed by Unilever Philippines last July 27.

The firm asked the NBI to go after the unauthorized retailers, dealers and manufacturers of fake Unilever shampoo and hair conditioner brands Vaseline, Lux, Sunsilk, and Creamsilk.

After conducting a surveillance operation and securing a search warrant from Manila Judge Antonio Eugenio Jr., NBI-IPRD agents swooped down on the suspect's stockroom last Saturday.

During the raid, a commotion erupted when an NBI agent was allegedly attacked with a cutter and kicked in the thigh by Bonnie Sy, reportedly a relative of Dong.

Found inside the suspect's stockroom were 210 boxes of assorted fake Sunsilk and Lux shampoo products. Each box contained about 288 sachets, the NBI said.

Charges for unfair competition and direct assault have been filed against Dong and Sy, who were both detained at the NBI detention cell.

Meanwhile, a janitor was electrocuted while cleaning an elevator inside a moviehouse in Manila university belt area last Monday morning.

Manila police homicide investigators identified the victim as Lorenzo Briez, 24, of 3990 V. Mapa St., Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Investigation showed that the victim, along with a certain Nestor Ellar, a fellow janitor, were cleaning the second floor of the Tandem theater building when they smelled the odor of a dead rat inside the elevator.

Police said Briez then opened the access panel of the elevator thinking that the dead rodent was inside. Seconds later, he was electrocuted when he accidentally touched an exposed electrical wire.

Briez died on the way to the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center.  by Mike Frialde