Customs seizes P21-M worth of 'ukay-ukay' clothes

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized about 3,000 boxes of smuggled second-hand clothes, bags and shoes with estimated worth of over P21 million last Tuesday.

Customs chief Ruffy Biazon said Thursday that BOC operatives under Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Danilo Lim seized the illegally imported goods from warehouses in Biñan and San Pedro, Laguna as well as in Parañaque City.

The agents also intercepted three delivery vans with boxes of the used clothing in Parañaque.

"The virtual raids on the three warehouses were the results of close to two weeks of surveillance operations by the BOC-IG operatives," the customs official said.

Biazon added that the second-hand garments and wares can not only pose risks to Filipino consumers' health, but may also threaten sales and labor of the local garments industry.

"The essence of the law banning the importation of used-clothing is for the Filipino consumers’ safety. This is precisely the reason why the BOC is aggressively pursuing its campaign against used-clothing smuggling," he said.

Biazon also vowed to be more vigilant in watching the country's ports for the importation of illegally imported pre-owned garments. - Camille Diola