3,200 cartons of fresh oranges from Thailand were confiscated by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for lacking the required import sanitary clearance from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).
Based on the Bureau of Customs’ news release on Thursday, August 29, the confiscated fruits are worth Php8.422 million. Its unlawful importation was prevented by the Manila International Container Port (MICP) after the Department of Agriculture (DA)-BPI shared that the shipment lacked the mandatory Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC).
Moreover, the confiscated fruits were deemed unsafe for human consumption and can endanger the countryls local ecology due to the absence of the required SPSIC. The clearance order safeguards the nation from the possible entry of infested and/or contaminated agricultural products, the BOC said.
Along with the BOC and DA, representatives from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Services, the Enforcement and Security Service, the Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force, the X-ray Inspection Project, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) were also present during the examination of goods. Undocumented oranges were also subjected to K-9 sweeping by PDEA personnel. It was later concluded that the shipment did not contain any dangerous drugs.
The oranges will be subject to condemnation proceedings per the DA’s Department Order to ensure that goods do not reach the local market.
Case records of the said incident were referred to the Bureau Action Team Against Smuggling for case build-up and persecution of personalities behind the halted importation of goods.
