BOC seizes P150 million smuggled agricultural goods

MANILA, Philippines — A series of raids on six warehouses in Metro Manila resulted in the confiscation of at least P150 million worth of agricultural products believed to have been smuggled from China, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported yesterday.

BOC personnel swooped down on cold storage facilities in the cities of Caloocan, Manila and Navotas on April 12.

One of the raided warehouses in Navotas was empty, according to the BOC.

The BOC said seized during the raids were imported agricultural products such as frozen beef, pork, chicken, round scad, squid, fish as well as apples, oranges, grapes and kiwi.

The raiding teams from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port as well as the Enforcement and Security Service conducted the operations after BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio issued Letters of Authority.

“We will continue running after these smuggling groups to make sure that smuggled products would not flood the local markets,” Rubio said.

“Law enforcement and border control are challenging work. We hope we are sending a clear message to these smugglers that there will be no let-up in our campaign,” he added.

Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy said they conducted the raids after receiving information that agricultural products were stored in these cold storage facilities.

“I commend our tireless BOC officers who face challenges in running after smuggling groups every day. They are armed with extensive training, sound judgment and more than anything else, a steadfast commitment to our mandate,” Uy said.

Rubio and Uy would personally inspect the six warehouses, which were padlocked by the raiders.

A Customs examiner is set to conduct an inventory of the contraband found in the cold storage facilities, Uy said.

He said the owners of the smuggled goods would be given 15 days to present importation documents or proof of payment.

If they fail to present proper documents, Uy said the “hot” shipments would be forfeited for violation of Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.