Deparo, Caloocan warehouse raided; found containing 'smuggled sugar, rice'—Malacañang
By Jel Santos
As the government ramps up its campaign against sugar hoarders and profiteers, a warehouse in Deparo, Caloocan was raided by agents of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday, August 22.

In a press release, Malacañang said the warehouse located at No. 306 Kabatuhan St. on Deparo Road in Caloocan City was reportedly housing “hundreds of bags of smuggled rice and sugar.”
Operatives of the BOC swooped down on the aforementioned warehouse in Caloocan after being granted a Letter of Authority (LOA).
According to Malacañang, Customs personnel learned that the warehouse was allegedly containing contraband agricultural products and is “owned by Melissa Chua and Benito Chua.”
“Reports reaching the Office of the President said the Customs agents, who were exercising their visitorial power, had no choice but to forcibly open the warehouse after the owners and caretaker refused to cooperate with the BoC inspection team,” the Palace said.
Along with the tons of contraband rice and sugar, Malacañang said Customs agents also seized the repacking equipment that was allegedly being utilized by the warehouse owners to disguise the fact that the rice and sugar were imported.
On August 18, government agents led by the BOC seized approximately P220 million worth of imported sugar in two separate operations in Pampanga and Bulacan.
After confirmation of a report of sugar stockpiles in the two locations, the operations were conducted at the New San Fernando Public Market in San Fernando, Pampanga, and near the Taruwe’s Lugawan, Tapsihan Atbp along Kaypian Rd. in Jose del Monte, Bulacan.