MANILA, Philippines — Smuggled carrots from China valued at P13 million were confiscated yesterday by the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
Consigned to Fourth Consumer Goods Trading, the shipment contained 53,283.88 kilos of carrots that showed signs of rotting.
Misdeclared as dry goods, bathroom fixtures, napkins and storage boxes, the carrots arrived at the Port of Manila on Oct. 2.
“Carrots are usually placed in refrigerated containers, but this is a new modus. Since the customs bureau tightened its screening of imported agricultural products, smugglers might have tried to illegally bring the product in a dry container,” BOC Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip Maronilla said.
“It did not pass the screening of the Department of Agriculture. It is possible that chemicals were used to prolong the life of the vegetable,” Maronilla added.
Smugglers will be charged for violating the Anti-Agricultural Sabotage Act, he said.
“This is non-bailable. Whoever is responsible for bringing the cargo into the country, once the case is filed against them, they may face life in prison,” Maronilla pointed out.
About P1.3 million in duties and taxes would have been paid by the smugglers, he said.
The confiscated carrots will be destroyed, according to the BOC.