BOC-Clark foils smuggling of spiderlings

• The Bureau of Customs–Port of Clark foiled an attempt to smuggle 178 spiderlings from Indonesia concealed in an air parcel declared as ‘hairclips’

• The shipment, bound for Valenzuela City, was flagged for physical inspection due to its suspicious declaration

• Upon inspection, the parcel contained 157 live spiderlings in vials and 21 deceased specimens

• The shipment violated Sections 117 and 113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and Republic Act No. 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act

• The seized spiderlings were immediately handed over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office for proper handling and disposition

The Bureau of Customs (BOC)–Port of Clark foiled an attempt to smuggle 178 spiderlings from Indonesia concealed in an air parcel declared as “hairclips” on October 30, 2024.

The shipment, bound for Valenzuela City, was flagged for physical inspection due to its suspicious declaration.

During the examination, authorities discovered 157 live spiderlings stored in vials and 21 deceased specimens. The smuggling attempt violated Sections 117 and 113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and Republic Act (RA) No. 9147, also known as the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.

RA 9147 is an act “providing for the conservation and protection of wildlife resources and their habitats, appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes.”

The seized spiderlings were immediately handed over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office for proper handling and disposition.

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio in a statement emphasized the agency’s commitment to preventing smuggling in all forms, “similarly essential in safeguarding wildlife and maintaining national biosecurity and ecological balance.

”Under the leadership of Acting District Collector Jairus Reyes, the BOC-Port of Clark said in a statement that it continues to enhance border security measures to combat smuggling and wildlife trafficking.

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