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The Bureau of Customs seized frozen agricultural and beverage products worth P85 million in a warehouse in Parañaque City
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The operation was carried out by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port
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The seized items included various poultry, meat, and other products from China that were suspected to be without proper customs duties and taxes
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The warehouse has been temporarily sealed, and the owners given 15 days to present the necessary documents
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized frozen agricultural and beverage products worth P85 million in a warehouse in Parañaque City.
Customs commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said the operation was conducted after he issued a Letter of Authority (LOA) by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) on September 5.
The CIIS-MICP served the LOA to a representative of the warehouse that was found containing various poultry, meat, and other products from China suspected to be without proper customs duties and taxes.
“The audacity of these people to smuggle and hide agricultural products right in the heart of Metro Manila is beyond me. They belittle our laws and make a mockery of our hardworking Customs agents by thinking they can operate these illegal activities just a few kilometers from our port,” Rubio said in a statement.
BOC-CIIS director Verne Enciso said they found frozen duck meat, chicken meat, pork meat and food items with Chinese markings, and assorted food and beverage with foreign markings.
“The initial inventory found that these poultry products will amount to about PHP85 million in the market. But we’re still determining the actual cost once final inventory is conducted by our examiners,” said Enciso.
The warehouse was temporarily padlocked and sealed to protect the subjected goods as the final inventory will be conducted by the assigned Customs examiner and witnessed by warehouse representatives, CIIS and Enforcement and Security Service.
The owners of the warehouses will be given 15 days to present the proper documents to clear out allegations they were hoarding imported agricultural products.
If found without proper documents, the corresponding seizure and forfeiture proceedings will be conducted against the subject shipments for violation of Section 1400 (misdeclaration in goods declaration) in relation to Section 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of Republic Act No. 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
The operation was conducted in coordination with the Department of Agriculture Inspectorate and Enforcement and the Philippine Coast Guard.
