Twelve containers containing allegedly smuggled red and white onions valued at P36 million were discovered by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Cagayan de Oro at the Mindanao International Container Terminal Port in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental on Thursday, August 11.
Lawyer Elvira Cruz, the district port collector, issued Pre-Lodgement Control Orders (PLCOs) against the shipments upon receipt of derogatory information for possible misdeclaration of agricultural products.
The shipments came from China and were consigned to a certain Frankie Trading Enterprises and Primex Export and Import Producer.
According to BOC, the shipments were declared as spring roll patti and plain churros but upon inspection, they turned out to be red and white onions.
The BOC said that warrants of seizure and detention will be issued against the shipments for violation of Section 1400 (Misdeclaration of Goods) and Section 117 (Regulated Importation) of Republic Act (RA) No. 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, and RA No. 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act.
The discovery came after the country struggled to control the price of onions due to the scarcity of supply in the market. Agriculture officials said that a kilo of white onions even reached P400 due to supply issues.
According to Cruz, the Port of Cagayan de Oro remains committed in the relentless efforts to curb agricultural smuggling in the country, especially in Northern Mindanao, as it greatly affects the local farming industry.