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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider BOC vows more aggressive measures vs agricultural smuggling

BOC vows more aggressive measures vs agricultural smuggling

Published Jul 27, 2023 01:35 am
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) vowed on Thursday, July 27, to take additional measures to address the smuggling operations in the country, particularly of agricultural products which has been the serious problem of local farmers. The commitment to intensified anti-smuggling activities was in response to the statement of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) that focused on a crackdown against smugglers. “The Bureau of Customs (BOC) takes President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address as a call to action, and we reaffirm our commitment to addressing the pressing issues of smuggling and hoarding of agricultural products in our country,” the statement read. “We stand fully supportive of the President's directives and will collaborate closely in the investigation he has ordered,” it added. But as initial aggressive measures, BOC Commissioner Bien Rubio said they will implement a series of proactive measures that include enhancement on both pre-arrival and post-arrival technical targeting and fraud detection mechanisms for imported goods.  He added that the BOC will also Invest more on additional equipment and provide capacity building for our personnel that will further strengthen our intelligence and enforcement capabilities. Rubio also said that coordination and interoperability will also be intensified with other government agencies that include the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for illegal drugs campaigns.  The BOC also committed to increase the conviction rate of smugglers, starting with the coordination with the Department of Justice to expedite the prosecution of filed cases. Based on the BOC data, a total of P30.1 billion worth of smuggled goods were seized in more than 600 operations across the country from January to July this year. This includes P2.9 billion worth of agricultural products. Part of the intensified campaign, he said, is the internal cleansing which has so far resulted in the conduct of investigation on 66 BOC personnel. “The Bureau of Customs remains committed to protecting the integrity of our borders, ensuring compliance with customs laws, and fostering a secure environment for the nation's economic growth,” said Rubio. “We will work diligently to implement these measures and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to achieve our common goal of eradicating smuggling and hoarding of agricultural products,” he added.

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