Six officials of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) in Subic Port were relieved from their positions and temporarily transferred to the Office of the Commissioner amid the pending investigation of alleged sugar smuggling, Malacañang announced Wednesday.

In a press release, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said Acting BoC Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz issued an office order dated Aug. 22 directing the reassignment of the six officials.

The reassigned officials were Maritess Theodossis Martin, district collector; Maita Sering Acevedo, deputy collector for assessment; Giovanni Ferdinand Aguillon Leynes, deputy collector for operations; Belinda Fernando Lim, chief of assessment division; Vincent Mark Solamin Malasmas, Enforcement Security Service (ESS) commander; and Justice Roman Silvoza Geli, CIIS supervisor.

Last Aug. 19, the BOC stopped the smuggling of 7,000 metric tons which is equivalent to 140,000 bags of refined sugar imported from Thailand at the Subic Port.

The initial investigation by the BoC-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) showed that the customs officials averted a cargo vessel MV Bangpakaew after it learned that the cargo import permit was “recycled” or was used before in an old sugar shipment.

It also found that Oro-Agritrade Inc. under the account of ARC Refreshments Corp. was the consignee of the smuggled sugar.

The Ruamkamlarp Export Co. Ltd was the identified Thai exporter and the local customs broker identified was Malou Leynes Burano.

The BoC-IIS also indicated that the Thai cargo is covered by a Special Permit to Discharge (SPD) and verified Single Administrative Document (SAD) issued by BoC and Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).