Intelligence and investigation agents of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have impounded two container vans loaded with onions at the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) Port in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
The operation conducted by the BOC's Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), in coordination with other enforcement agencies that include the Department of Agriculture, Enforcement Security Services (ESS), and the Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc. (CCBI), is deemed timely amid the high price of onion in the market which is now the subject of funny memes and rants in the social media.
BOC Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz said the two container vans contain 50,000 kilos of onions worth around P20 million from China but were misdeclared as bread and pastries.
He added that shipment arrived in Cagayan de Oro on Dec. 6.
“Onions are being sold at higher prices in our local markets. This should not have been a predicament for an agricultural country like us. The more empowered these people feel about smuggling these products, the more our economy will suffer. So, we cannot let that happen because the people will be the most affected,” said Ruiz.
President Marcos earlier ordered the BOC to step up the drive against agricultural smuggling amid its adverse effects on the local farmers.
CIIS Director Jeoffrey Tacio said they immediately acted on the information of a possible onion smuggling through the MCT.
Tacio said they also coordinated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the local BOC office for joint operation.
Upon receiving the joint request by CIIS and ESS on Dec. 9, Tacio said CDO District Collector Alexandra Lumontad immediately issued a Pre-Lodgement Control Order (PLCO) against the shipment on the same day.
“As we’re nearing the end of 2022, I’m glad to see that our agents are still hard at work in stopping these smuggled goods from passing through our borders. Now more than ever, it is so critical to protect our economy from the adverse impact of smuggled agricultural products,” said Tacio.
For his part, BOC deputy commissioner Juvymax Uy acknowledged the team responsible for the operation as he underscored their hard work and dedication they have shown in seeing the operation through despite the challenges.
“As leaders, we want to always be a motivational factor to our people. We want them to see that like them, we are hard at work in exercising our mandate and taking away the power from these groups. But I also like to say that we are always inspired by our team members,” said Uy.
“They’re the ones who made success a possibility in this agency. And they’re the ones showing every day what it takes to do it,” he added.
The BOC's intensified operations against agricultural smuggling come on the heels of President Marcos’ orders to protect the country’s borders against any form of illegal importation of goods.