The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is not lowering its guard down amid insinuations that the leadership has given the go-signal to the “everything goes policy” for the remaining five months of the Aquino administration, primarily for purposes of raising funds for the administration candidates in the May 2016 elections.
“Our bureau’s anti-smuggling drive, as shown by the exemplary and strengthened teamwork exhibited by our intelligence and enforcement groups with our new district collectors, should serve as a reminder to smugglers that illicit trade in the bureau will be prosecuted in accordance with the law. It’s no longer business as usual. The bureau is working with various government agencies to make sure smuggling is addressed with an iron hand,” Commissioner Alberto Lina said yesterday.
Lina issued the warning after seizure of 118 containers of illegally imported Thai rice at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) worth at least P118mn.
He ordered immediate investigation to identify personalities involved in the illegal importation.
MICP Collector Antonio Pascual and MICP Auction Division chief Gerardo Macatangay also immediately recommended auction proceedings in order to preserve the value and quality of the confiscated rice and contribute to the revenues of the government.
Records showed that the shipment was consigned to Calumpit Multi-Purpose Co-operative.
The cargo, which arrived at the MICP from Thailand on separate occasions in November and December, was immediately seized for violation of Section 2530 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, as amended, by Republic Act 7651 and for lack of required import permit from the National Food Authority (NFA).
Verifications made through the NFA confirmed that no import permit has been issued to the consignee.
A representative of the consignee wrote to the district collector of the MICP, saying the import permit for shipment was already being processed for its release but the same was refuted by the NFA.
Earlier, the BOC also filed charges before the Justice department against two consignees for illegal importations of various items such as smartphones and tablets and an undetermined number of used semi- knockdown Honda Fit vehicles.
The goods were declared as casing thermos and gift boxes but were found to contain assorted brands of mobile phones, smartphones, tablets and touch screen phones, with total value of P4.2mn.