MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) recently seized 8,000 bags of suspected smuggled rice worth P20 million in Taytay town in Rizal.
In a statement, BOC Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) personnel found the smuggled rice during a raid on a warehouse at Cresda Ville subdivision in Barangay San Juan.
“The raid was in line with our efforts to stop all forms of agricultural smuggling as provided under Republic Act 10845 (Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act) and in compliance with the policy of the anti-agricultural smuggling inter-agency task force,” Faeldon said.
He said the BOC would file economic sabotage charges against the owner of the warehouse.
CIIS director Neil Estrella said the owner was identified as Bernadette Ang.
“We are tracing the origin of the seized rice since Ms. Ang has not presented documents that will justify the legality of the importation,” he said.
The BOC padlocked the warehouse.