Manila - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has uncovered an estimated PHP5 million worth of purportedly smuggled agricultural products in three warehouses in Manila, as reported by the agency on Wednesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, a joint operation by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service at the Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) and the National Bureau of Investigation-Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-AOTCD) was conducted. The operation, which involved the implementation of letters of authority (LOAs), took place in the districts of San Nicolas and Binondo on Tuesday. The inspection resulted in the discovery of hundreds of crates of vegetables and fruits.
Verne Enciso, the CIIS director, detailed that fresh imported broccoli worth around PHP2 million was found in a San Nicolas warehouse. In a warehouse of WSH Trading on Sto. Cristo Street in Binondo, officers found various fresh imported vegetables and fruits valued at PHP2 million. These included bell pepper, garlic sprout, volcanic sweet potato, cauliflower, lotus root, corn, spinach, romaine lettuce, mushrooms, and various fruits like oranges, strawberries, grapes, pears, melons, kiwis, apples, longgan, and cherry tomatoes. Another warehouse on Elcano Street in Binondo contained cauliflower, yam, water bamboo, lotus root, spinach, tomato, baby cabbage, crown daisy, and apples, collectively valued at PHP1 million.
Commissioner Rubio emphasized that these were preliminary valuations and a thorough inventory and inspection would follow to determine the exact value of the goods. This will enable the filing of appropriate cases against the warehouse owners, and those involved in the smuggling activities. Customs examiners will conduct an inventory, to be witnessed by CIIS agents and warehouse representatives.
Warehouse owners will have 15 days to produce documents proving the legality of their commodities. Failing this, seizure and forfeiture proceedings will be initiated for violation of Section 1400 (misdeclaration in goods declaration) in relation to Section 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
This anti-smuggling operation was a response to complaints by local traders in Benguet province about the surge of smuggled vegetables, which has adversely affected local vegetable sales in the country, even during the holiday season.