The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday issued a warrant of seizure and detention (WSD) against a truck loaded with 21,000 liters of unmarked and smuggled blended diesel fuel which was recently discovered in Manila.
BOC Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy stated that the warrant was issued on August 4, following the truck carrying blended diesel fuel owned by V-Fuel gasoline Station failing both field and confirmatory fuel marking tests.
Uy, who delivered the Mission Order (MO) to Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) chief Alvin Enciso on July 8, provided specifics about the case that will be brought against the owner.
He said that the order pertains to conducting validation on information received about the presence of fuel smuggling activities and conducting intelligence and enforcement operations against fuel smuggling in the Manila, Navotas, and Malabon areas.
The BOC Deputy Commissioner further stated that a truck in Vitas, Tondo, Manila, caught their attention, so they went on to check it, and their agents found an unmarked fuel truck brought to the Port of Manila for safekeeping.
On July 10 and 12, tests on the first three compartments, which contained 16,000 liters of unlabeled fuel, failed.
On July 19, tests on the fourth container, which had 5,000 liters of fuel, also failed.
According to CIIS Director Verne Enciso, the owner of the fuel did not pay taxes and duties, which is against Republic Act 10963 and Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) 43-2019, also known as the "Implementing the Fuel Marking Program.
"Procedures must be followed, so violators of our laws and rules will face the consequences of their illegal activities," the BOC official said.
