CEBU, Philippines — An estimated P1.7 million worth of unregistered medicines smuggled from Hongkong were intercepted by the Bureau of Customs at the Mactan Cebu International Airport last week.
The 767 boxes of assorted medicines were consigned to a resident of Lapu-Lapu City whose identity the BOC did not reveal pending a follow up investigation.
BOC-Cebu acting district collector Atty. Charlito Martin Mendoza has already issued a warrant of seizure and detention against the shipment. The shipment arrived at MCIA on May 12, 2020. It was declared to contain 50 kilos of foodstuff.
Upon x-ray examination, Customs Inspector Emmanuel G. Masbang found suspicious images in the package prompting him to recommend a 100 percent physical examination. Customs examiner Jee Ralf Sy stripped the package and found assorted medicines mixed with other foodstuff.
"The examination yielded assorted medicines and other foodstuff without Certificate of Product Registration from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA)," BOC-Port of Cebu posted on its Facebook page.
Mendoza lauded the vigilance of the BOC frontliners resulting in the foiled smuggling of unregistered medicines.
The collector warned would-be smugglers that the anti-smuggling campaign of the BOC in Cebu has not waned despite the pandemic. On the contrary the BOC has heightened its vigilance to thwart any criminal activities amid the ongoing health crisis. FPL (FREEMAN)