By Betheena Kae Unite Nine container vans of various misdeclared goods worth P33 million were seized in two major ports in the country during on-the-spot ground inspections. The shipments containing rice, houseware, vape, makeups, fake branded shoes, ukay-ukay, office chairs, and wheel rims were seized at the Port of Manila (POM) and Manila International Container Port (MICP), according to the Bureau of Customs. The seized shipments, Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said, came from China and arrived on separate dates. The shipments were consigned to IT Malingco Trading Corporation, Abundanceprime Chemicals Trading Corporation, Archerson Trading, Sto. Nino Marketing, and Fastworth Marketing. The signing customs brokers are Erlinda Dumalaog, Mohammad Salman, Cosain Amerol, Christian Lao, Christine May Burlaza, and Henry Ferrer, respectively. “A warrant of seizure and detention were already issued by the Office of the District Collector for their high disregard to the customs laws implemented by the Bureau,” Lapeña said. The shipments declared as grocery items, glass cups, bottles, mugs, wheel rims, footwear, and general merchandise were found to contain misdeclared air freshener, toothpaste, shampoo, makeups and vape without the necessary Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permit, undeclared sacks of rice without the National Food Authority (NFA) permit, ziplock, houseware, wheel rims and fake shoes. Further, white chemical substance were discovered in a shipment of Abundanceprime, however, it tested negative for illegal drugs in an examination conducted by Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Taskforce. Undeclared sacks of rice were also found in the shipment of Fastworth Marketing but were only declared as general merchandise. “We cannot yet divulge the actual number of sacks inside the container since the customs examiners are still doing an inventory of the smuggled rice,” Lapeña said. Meanwhile, four of the nine seized container vans were discovered at the MICP. Various goods worth P8 million including ukay-ukay or used clothes and executive office chairs were found inside the four container vans, Lapeña said. The shipments were under the Chuanshun Electric (Phils) Inc. and Epad Freight Forwarder. Entry declarations showed Christopher Siate as the signing customs broker of Chuansun while Manuel Tolentino is the broker of Epad. The permit to import of the importers and customs brokers are automatically suspended following the discovery, Lapeña said. “We will continue the ground inspection to remind the importers that we are serious in our campaign against smuggling. They have to correct their ways and stop the rampant misdeclaration and undervaluation and as it defrauds the government of its rightful revenues,” Lapeña said.