Screening of shipments coming into the country has improved compared to last year, the Bureau of Customs said Tuesday.
The Customs bureau reported that a total of 244,040 containers has already been scanned by the X-ray Inspection Project (XIP) from January to July this year. This is 135 percent higher than last year’s scanning rate in the same period.
In 2019, the BOC had a total of 181,382 scanned containers during the first semester.
The bureau attributed the scanning rate improvement to the additional x-ray machines being used in inspection.
According to the bureau, the utilization of 124 x-ray machines resulted in the issuance of 93 warrants of seizure and detention and collection of P72,685,199.43 additional duties and taxes from January to July 2020.
“The faster scanning of containerized shipments while ensuring maximum threat detection is an indication of the intensified non-intrusive inspection capabilities of the Bureau of Customs through advanced x-ray machines,” the bureau said.
“The modernization of the scanning technology in the port will not only improve border security and trade facilitation, but also increase the entire port operation’s resilience and adaptability in times of operational disruption,” it added.
The x-ray scanners are expected to enhance the capability of the bureau in detecting smuggled and anti-social goods like misdeclared items, undervalued goods, and undeclared goods.
It will also monitor the entry of narcotics in various ports nationwide, and enable the rapid and effective screening of containerized shipments with minimum interruption to the movement of goods inside the ports.
“The Bureau of Customs, through the XIP, ensures the public that it will continue to design measures to ease customs operations, minimize unnecessary delays and enhance trade facilitation,” the bureau furthered.