The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday said that a series of searches of six warehouses in three Metro Manila areas revealed PHP150 million in agricultural items, including frozen meat and fresh fruits.
The Bureau reported in a statement that after Customs Commissioner Bien Rubio issued Letters of Authority (LOAs) on April 12, operations led by agents of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service—Manila International Container Port proceeded to the six cold storage facilities located in Caloocan, Manila, and Navotas.
After the warehouse representatives acknowledged the LOA, the team discovered imported agricultural products from China, including frozen beef, pork, chicken, round scad, squid, and fish products, as well as fresh fruits such as apples, oranges, grapes, and kiwis worth PHP 150 million.
The BOC composite team then padlocked and sealed the warehouses, including the vacant storage facility.
If proper documents are not found, seizure and forfeiture proceedings will be initiated against the subject shipments for violation of Section 1400 (misdeclaration in goods declaration) in relation to Section 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of Republic Act No. 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian added in a linked statement that extensive smuggling of tobacco and alcohol items, as well as agricultural produce, results in billions of dollars in tax losses.
Alcohol, tobacco, cigarette and vapor products, fuel, automobiles, non-essential goods and services, sweetened beverages, and mineral products are all subject to excise taxation by the government.
On Monday, Gatchalian said that the smuggling of these products deprives the government of much-needed revenues necessary to finance various programs and projects, as well as sustainable economic growth and development.
The BOC-Port of Cagayan de Oro stopped an effort to smuggle two containers of cigarettes worth PHP 160 million in March.
Meanwhile, authorities seized PHP 600,000 in unauthorized cigarettes in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte, as well as PHP 2 million in cash last month.
