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The Bureau of Customs intercepted five containers of misdeclared frozen agricultural and other food products from China with a combined value of P23.27 million, including P6.24 million in duties and taxes
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The shipments were flagged through Customs intelligence, risk assessment, and profiling, resulting in three pre-lodgment control orders and two alert orders
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Declared as food items like squid balls, fish tofu, and fish roe balls, the shipments included undeclared frozen products such as peeled and skinless chicken breast, frozen pigeon, Peking duck, and frozen duck meat
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Port of Manila district collector Rizalino Jose Torralba issued warrants of seizure and detention against the five shipments
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The shipments are also being investigated for possible large-scale agricultural smuggling under the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, as their value exceeds the P10-million threshold
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) intercepted five containers of misdeclared frozen agricultural and other food products from China with a combined value of P23.27 million, including P6.24 million in duties and taxes.
The shipments were flagged through Customs intelligence, risk assessment, and profiling, which led to the issuance of three pre-lodgment control orders and two alert orders, the BOC said in a statement.
The containers were initially declared to contain various food products, including Fu Hua Lao Jiang Brand Classic Squid Ball, fish tofu, fish roe balls, and Qianye tofu, among others. These underwent 100% physical examination, which uncovered assorted misdeclared and illegally imported frozen agricultural products, including peeled chicken breast, skinless chicken breast, frozen pigeon, Peking duck, and frozen duck meat.
The shipments carried an estimated value of P17.03 million, with corresponding duties and taxes totaling P6.24 million, for a total of P23.27 million.
Customs commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, who led the inspection of the containers on July 21, said the operation highlights the agency’s commitment to enforcing customs laws and working with the Department of Agriculture to prevent illegally imported agricultural commodities that threaten food safety, biosecurity, and local farmers’ livelihoods.
“We thank (Agriculture) Secretary Francisco Laurel and the entire Department of Agriculture for their continued cooperation with the Bureau of Customs in the fight against agricultural smuggling. Operations like this prove that law enforcement becomes more effective when our agencies work hand in hand,” Nepomuceno said.
“We will not allow products deliberately misdeclared to evade regulations and taxes to slip through. Each seizure like this is important, as it not only protects our economy and agricultural sector but also ensures the safety and health of every Filipino,” he added.
READ: BOC endorses complaints vs smugglers of agricultural goods
Port of Manila district collector Rizalino Jose Torralba issued warrants of seizure and detention against the five shipments for violations of Republic Act (RA) No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, in relation to Republic Act No. 10611, or the Food Safety Act of 2013.
The seized shipments are also subject to investigation for possible violations of RA No. 12022, or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, as the aggregate value of the goods exceeds the P10-million threshold for large-scale agricultural smuggling.
READ: 9 Customs personnel face anti‑graft, smuggling charges
