BOC seizes hot cars

CEBU, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) police personnel yesterday confiscated six assorted kinds of Korean-made cars estimated to worth P3 million.

Cebu Customs District Collector Ronnie Silvestre yesterday ordered Customs Legal Officer Edward Dy Buco to make immediate seizure proceedings against the vehicles because its importation violated Executive Order 156, which bans the importation of imported used vehicles.

They found the six vehicles when Silvestre and other Customs officials opened the 40-foot container van that arrived at the Cebu International Container Port (CICP) last June 15.

According to Customs Police Chief Isidro Estrera, the vehicles are KIA Spectra, HD Grandeur, DW Matiz and three units of Sonata model cars. These were declared as replacement parts but are actually used vehicles.

The confiscated cargoes are consigned to Aya Day Trading but its address in Cebu City is not specified in the documents. Estrera said the shipper of the cargoes was registered as Amor Trading in Dogyang-gu, Korea.

Silvestre said the Customs police, in coordination with the members of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) headed by Francis Ray “Koko” Holganza, are still investigating to identify the real consignee of the cargoes.

Silvestre said once the real owner of the cargoes is determined, the Bureau of Customs will file a criminal case for violation of the Tariff and Customs Code for misdeclaration of cargoes and for violating Executive Order 156.

Two weeks ago, the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) also confiscated 13 units of right-hand-drive imported used vehicles, but the Customs are still investigating their origin. — (FREEMAN)