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The Bureau of Customs inspected P202 million worth of frozen mackerel misdeclared as frozen fried taro at the Port of Manila on March 3
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The shipment from China was put on hold on January 20, 2025, following an inspection request from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service and the Plant Quarantine Service-Bureau of Plant Industry due to pending compliance with import regulations
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An alert order was issued on February 13, 2025, prompting further investigation
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A physical inspection on February 18-19, 2025 confirmed the misdeclaration
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Following the discovery, the BOC-Port of Manila district collector immediately issued a warrant of seizure and detention
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) inspected P202 million worth of frozen mackerel misdeclared as frozen fried taro at the Port of Manila on March 3, the agency said in a statement.
The shipment from China was initially flagged on January 20, 2025 after the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS-POM) and the Plant Quarantine Service-Bureau of Plant Industry (PQS-BPI) requested both intrusive and non-intrusive examinations due to pending compliance issues.
Customs commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, alongside Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and BOC-Port of Manila district collector Alexander Gerard Alviar, led the inspection of the 19 forty-foot containers.
On February 13, 2025, the Office of the District Collector issued an alert order to conduct further verification. A physical inspection on February 18-19, 2025, witnessed by concerned agencies, confirmed the presence of undeclared frozen mackerel instead of the reported frozen fried taro.
Following the discovery, the BOC-Port of Manila district collector immediately issued a warrant of seizure and detention for violating Sections 1113 and 1400 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
The bureau said the crackdown on agricultural smuggling aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to enhance border security and protect the nation’s food supply. The President has called for stricter enforcement measures to dismantle smuggling networks that undermine local industries and disrupt market stability, BOC said.
Rubio commended the collaboration between BOC-Port of Manila, the agriculture department, and other regulatory bodies, emphasizing that all shipments must comply with import regulations to safeguard consumers and support the domestic agricultural sector.
