BOC seizes 12 smuggled vehicles from US declared as car parts
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has intercepted two shipments containing 12 smuggled motor vehicles that arrived at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) from the United States (US).
BOC-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Services Director Verne Enciso stated that the shipments were subjected to x-ray imaging at the MICP after derogatory information was received, indicating they contained "misdeclared and undeclared items."
"The x-ray imaging on-site revealed that the shipments, which were declared to contain assorted car accessories and supply, actually have 12 motor vehicles inside,” Enciso said.
The two intercepted shipments included one unit of 1996 Acura Integra, three units of 1998 Honda Civic, one unit of 1999 Honda Civic, four units of 2000 Honda Civic, one unit of 2002 Honda S2000, one unit of 2004 Honda S2000, and one unit of 2007 Mini Cooper S.
"We had solid information that these shipments may be smuggling motor vehicles into our country under the guise of importing car accessories and parts. This is why our officers have been hard at work these past weeks to verify the information our intelligence unit received and apply the proper seizure procedures,” BOC Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy said.
BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio, meanwhile, assured that those involved in the smuggling operation will face legal consequences.
He stated, "These are in clear violation of Section 1400 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. The bureau will file the appropriate cases and make sure that these organizations will be held responsible. The BOC is not beating around the bush.