Agents of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) confiscated more than P171 million worth of onions and other agricultural products in more than two weeks of operations as part of the efforts to address smuggling cases in the country, especially this Christmas season.
BOC Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz said the investigation they conducted disclosed that almost all of the seized agricultural products were initially declared to contain mantou (steamed buns) and frozen food products and were all consigned to Taculog J International Consumer Goods Trading with the address at B4 L7 Mariategui HMOA, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
The agricultural products from China, including fresh red and white onions, started arriving at the MICP from Nov. 12 to Dec. 3. Aside from misdeclaring them as steamed buns and frozen products, they were also misdeclared as frozen prawn balls, frozen lobster, and crabstick, as well as udon noodles and fresh carrots.
“We are not only practicing our mandate to investigate, examine, and seize such contrabands. This is for the good of the country and our people," said Ruiz.
"We have been suffering from the high cost of onions in the markets, so we are especially on the lookout for these kinds of operations because it hurts not only the economy, but it directly impacts our farmers, the people, and the agricultural sector itself,” he added.
Under close watch
CIIS Director Jeoffrey Tacio said they had been monitoring the activities of Taculog J International Consumer Goods Trading after receiving derogatory information on the real contents of the containers from China.
“Most of these containers arrived from mid to late November. We received derogatory information about them, and issued the necessary Alert Orders (AOs) by December 6 and examination took place the next two weeks after the AOs were issued,” he said, noting that the team from the CIIS-MICP “worked double time and overtime” for the operation to be successful.
Containers that arrived on Nov. 12 and examined between Dec. 14 and Dec.21 were found to contain frozen squid flower and fresh white onions amounting to an estimated total value of over P38 million.
All of the shipments that arrived on Nov. 18and examined between Dec. 6and Dec. 20 were found to contain fresh red and white onions amounting to an estimated total value of more than P79 million.
On Nov. 20, another batch of containers arrived at the MICP. Upon examination from Dec. 19 to Dec. 21 undeclared fresh red and white onions amounting to an estimated total value of over P35 million were found.
Containers that arrived on Nov. 25 and examined on Dec. 22 were found to have undeclared frozen boneless buffalo meat after declaring only frozen lobster, frozen prawn balls, and frozen crabstick. The estimated total amount of the goods found was P14.7 million,
Another container arrived on Dec. 3 and was examined on Dec. 22. This was found to have undeclared fresh carrots amounting to an estimated total value of P4.5 million despite declaring only udon noodles.
Good job!
Ruiz then lauded the CIIS team, especially the coordination with key government agencies like the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The seizure of smuggled agricultural products must be made in cooperation with the DA because their importation requires clearance from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), which falls under the ambit of DA.
For his part, BOC deputy commissioner Juvymax Uy said that the agency is “well-positioned” to do more under the Marcos administration.
“We are on track to meet our goals in bringing these perpetrators to justice, as well as answering the call of our President to better protect the borders and put a stop to agricultural smuggling. We have been at the forefront of this battle for years, but even more so in the past months when we intensified our campaign against these kinds of operations,” said Uy.
Warrants of Seizure and Detention (WSDs) were ordered against the entire shipment thereafter for the consignee’s violation of Section 1400 (misdeclaration in goods declaration) and Section 117 (regulated importation and exportation) in relation to Section 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
According to the WSD, “Section 117 of the CMTA provides that goods which are subject to regulation shall be imported or exported only after securing the necessary goods declaration or export declaration, clearances, licenses and any other requirements prior to importation or exportation.”
The WSD recommended the filing of “appropriate charges” and the suspension of the accreditation of the importer, as well as “other person or persons who wilfully participated in the fraudulent act as provided under Section 1401 (unlawful importation or exportation) of the CMTA.”