TARLAC CITY, PHILIPPINES — Authorities have confiscated insecticides valued at P53.35 million and arrested a Chinese national in Tarlac for allegedly manufacturing and trading counterfeit products, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) announced Monday.

The operation, conducted last Friday in Barangay Parsolingan, Gerona, was based on a search warrant for violations of Section 155 in relation to Section 170 of Republic Act No. 8293, or the Intellectual Property Code.

The suspect, identified only as “De Yu,” was allegedly producing, storing, and trading aerosol insecticide canisters without authorization from the registered trademark owner.

“The authorities seized voluminous unfilled canisters, pressed canisters, canister lids, tin sheets and plates intended for manufacturing, as well as machinery and equipment used in the production of alleged counterfeit aerosol insecticides,” the CIDG said in a statement.

De Yu was charged before the National Prosecution Service for violations of Sections 155, 168, and 169 of RA 8293.

The CIDG emphasized that the arrest is part of ongoing efforts to combat intellectual property violations and protect consumers from unsafe and counterfeit products.