Misdeclared rice worth P8.9 million seized

CEBU, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs-Port of Cebu has seized the other day misdeclared rice amounting to P8.9 million.

A Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) was immediately issued by Acting BOC Cebu District Collector Charlito Martin Mendoza against the entire shipment for intentional misdeclaration pursuant to Section 1400 in relation to Section 1113 (F); Section 1113 (I); Section 1113 (L-3, 4, & 5) of Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

"The said shipment (is) still subject for forfeiture proceedings," said Mendoza, adding the shipment will undergo public bidding after the proceedings.

The shipment of white rice from Vietnam was loaded inside 10 container vans.

The shipment containing those articles is consigned to Sagetics Enterprises, according to BOC-Port of Cebu in their Facebook page.

Customs Examiner Marc Henry Tan has physically examined the shipment together with representatives from members of the Department of Agriculture Compliance and Regulatory Enforcement for Security and Trade Office (CREST), Bureau of Plant and Industry (BPI), and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) the other day.

In a statement, BOC-Port of Cebu said that, upon examination, five of the 10 containers were found to contain misdeclared goods of glutinous rice (super malagkit).

Mendoza said that the glutinous rice is not an illegal item or goods, hence the government can forfeit and subject these for public auction.

"Importation of glutinous rice is not illegal per se. In this case kasi, there was misdeclaration, kaya we seized it," Mendoza further said.  GAN (FREEMAN)