-
The Bureau of Customs initiated inquest proceedings against the crew of two ships involved in fuel smuggling with the Navotas City Prosecutor’s Office
-
An inventory of the seized fuel indicated the first tanker contained 320,463 liters, and the second 39,884 liters
-
The officers and crew members of the two vessels face charges for violations of sections of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, the National Internal Revenue Code, and the TRAIN law
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on September 21 initiated inquest proceedings against the crew of of two ships involved in fuel smuggling at the Navotas City Prosecutor’s Office, BOC said in a statement.
“This operation serves as a clear message to those engaged in illicit fuel activities. We will pursue legal action against violators and ensure that they are held accountable to protect the country’s revenues and uphold the law,” said Customs commissioner Bienvenido Rubio as he emphasized the case’s importance in the BOC’s ongoing anti-smuggling operations.
On September 18, the two vessels were intercepted in the Navotas anchorage area during a coordinated anti-smuggling operation targeting unmarked fuels.
BOC agents and the Philippine Coast Guard found the vessels engaged in illicit fuel transfer activities, locally known as the “paihi” modus.
An inventory of the seized fuel indicated that the first tanker contained approximately 320,463 liters, while the other tanker held about 39,884 liters.
Subsequent fuel marking tests revealed that the diesel fuel onboard the two ships were unmarked, indicating non-compliance with the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), National Internal Revenue Code (NRC), and Republic Act 10963, also known as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.
The officers and 24 crew members of the two vessels face charges for violations of Section 1401 of the CMTA and Section 148-A of the NIRC as amended by Section 44 of the TRAIN law, and Sec. 265-A of the NIRC as amended by Section 80 of the TRAIN law.
