BOC seizes P1 million abandoned onions, carrots

CEBU, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs-Port of Cebu has inspected the undeclared white onions and carrots inside the four container vans that were earlier claimed as oranges.

The shipment amounting to almost P1 million was abandoned by the consignee.

According to BOC-Port of Cebu Facebook page, through the intensified efforts to curb smuggling, unscrupulous individuals were forced to abandon their shipments containing the undeclared goods.

The BOC-Port of Cebu, together with representatives from the Plant Quarantine Service and Philippine Coast Guard, jointly inspected the four abandoned container vans declared to contain oranges and reportedly consigned to RAS Bacolod Inc.

Despite due notice, it said that the claimant/consignee has not filed the requisite import entry declaration.

Thus, the shipments were declared abandoned.

As provided for under Section 1129 (b) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), an imported article is deemed abandoned when the owner, importer or consignee fails to file the goods declaration within the prescribed period under Section 407 of the CMTA.

Upon inspection, it said that a few layers of the declared oranges were placed in front to conceal the undeclared goods. GAN (FREEMAN)