The Bureau of Customs (BOC) confiscated agricultural goods without permits at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after a joint inspection was conducted with the Department of Agriculture (DA).
On August 8, a shipment brought by a Japanese national was intercepted, following the results of the joint inspection. It was concluded that the said goods did not pass the required Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPIC) from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
Products seized by the departments are as follows:
- 527.10 kilograms of fresh beef
- 26.5 kilograms of fresh chicken
- 60 pieces of eggs
- 57.1 kilograms of various fruits and vegetables
- 57.10 kilograms of fishery products
The following day, another shipment was seized from a Japanese passenger, consisting of the following products:
- 140.2 kilograms of meat and meat products
- 10 pieces of eggs
- 165 kilograms of fruits, plants, and vegetables
- 235.5 kilograms of assorted fishery products
“These operations are the direct result of the enhanced partnership between the Bureau and the DA, ensuring that our borders remain protected from the entry of unauthorized goods which may pose health hazards not only the consuming public but our local industries,” BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio emphasized.
To ensure that no potential risks to the food industry arise from the unauthorized entry, all confiscated products have been turned over to the BAI, BPI, and BFAR, for their proper disposal.
“We will continue to bolster the BOC’s border protection efforts against smuggling and other illicit activities,” District Collector Yasmin O. Mapa said.
