Agents of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have intercepted around P17 million worth of onions in an apparent agricultural smuggling attempt after they were found to be hidden in between sacks of used clothings, popularly known as "ukay-ukay", inside three container vans from China.
BOC Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz said the three container vans arrived at the Port of Manila and were deliberately misdeclared to be containing various clothings and home products.
“The Bureau has, so far, examined, detained, and seized hundreds of millions worth of shipments that contain agricultural products this month alone. If they think they can use the ukay-ukay to hide the onions, they are mistaken,” said Ruiz.
“We swore to protect the country’s borders from this kind of illegal activity. But much more than that, we are also trying to protect our people, many of whom are deeply affected—and have been crying out—against the prices of the most basic of our food products,” he added.
Ruiz said the thorough examination on the three container vans were conducted on Dec. 23 after an alert order was issued over reports received by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) of possible smuggling attempts from the shipment.
The examination was witnessed by the assigned Customs examiner, COO III Jordan G. Apurillo, and witnessed by DA Representative Commander Leopoldo Apellanes, Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Representative Mr. Fernando Masbate, Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc. (CCBI) Representative Renz Jon S. Temeña, and CIIS officials.
The shipments were consigned to SB Express Logistics and Business Solution Inc., according to Ruiz.
He said the shipment was originally declared to contain plastic buckets, ladies’ blouses, ladies’ slippers, dish plates, and cat litter.
But the examination of the first container yielded misdeclared sacks of yellow onions hidden in between sacks of "ukay-ukay".
Ruiz said the imported "ukay-ukay" seized from the three container vans are worth P2 million.
On hold
Aside from the three containers that yielded P17 million worth of yellow onions, seven other containers consigned to SB Express Logistics and Business Solution Inc. are currently on hold by the bureau for suspicion of undeclared and misdeclared onions.
Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Juvymax Uy shared that the success of the operation became possible because of the coordination between BOC and the Department of Agriculture (DA).
“We processed the derogatory information received by the DA and shared with us. Based on these initial reports and investigation, we issued the AO shortly before Christmas. I thank all our hardworking team members for ensuring that we can complete the examination of the containers before the holidays kick in,” he said.
Lauded
Ruiz, for his part, lauded his men, particularly BOC-CIIS agents, for another successful operation that foiled onion smuggling amid the continuous rise in the price of onion in the local market.
"Many small business owners pay the right fees to bring ukay-ukay or used clothing products into the country legally, while unscrupulous groups bring in millions worth of them without going through the proper process," said Ruiz.
The BOC has launched an aggressive campaign against agricultural smuggling following the order of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., to protect local farmers and drive the country toward food security and improved agricultural conditions.