MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Surigao seized eight drums of suspected palm oil that were allegedly smuggled into the Taganito Special Economic Zone (TSEZ) in Claver, Surigao del Norte.
In a statement, BOC-Port of Surigao Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) supervisor Joseph Romano said they seized the smuggled oil on Jan. 24.
Romano added that they are still assessing the value of the seized goods and coordinating with their counterpart from the intelligence service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The BOC said an anonymous person called their 8888 Citizen’s Complaint Hotline and reported that the drums were discharged from the tanker MT Southern Narwal from Japan before it docked at the TSEZ in Claver.
BOC-CIIS chief Jeffrey Tacio ordered the CIIS to monitor the area and inspect the TSEZ.
The BOC and an officer from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority reportedly discovered the eight drums of palm oil at the yard of the economic zone.
Samples from the contraband were taken and submitted for laboratory analysis.
Initial investigation showed that the eight drums of suspected palm oil were discharged from MT Southern Narwhal on Jan. 13.
Upon checking the Inward Foreign Manifest and Stowage Plan submitted by the captain of the vessel, it was discovered that the drums were not listed as cargoes.
The undocumented items were recorded as in violation of Section 113 (l) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, stating that imported or exported goods that did not go through a customs office is subject to seizure and forfeiture.