The Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Ninoy Aquino International Airport personnel recently apprehended an estimated 2.2 kilograms of Chinese medicines without Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance.
The shipments were concealed in three separate packages to three different consignees with same shipper address, BOC said.
All were found to be misdeclared as “resin handicraft”. This is a new modus in evading the required License to Operate and Certificate of Product Registration from the FDA on the importation of medicines.
As a precautionary measure against such fraudulent scheme, BOC-NAIA District Collector Carmelita Talusan reiterated her previous directives to NAIA frontliners, X-ray Inspection Project, Enforcement and Security Service, Customs Intelligence & Investigation Service and Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force to be more vigilant in the profiling and conduct of mandatory random Xray inspection on all shipments prior to release to prevent illegal schemes in evading customs and related laws.
The Port of NAIA supports the directives of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero to be alert in the entry of illegal goods and expedite processing of essential goods especially COVID-19 related shipments as mandated by Republic Act No. 11469 otherwise known as the “Bayanihan Heal as One Act”.
Photo courtesy of BOC-NAIA
