The Bureau of Customs (BOC) continues to generate revenues through the sale of seized smuggled rice, earning P161.35 million from its latest public auction on October 7.
The agency said the sale also contributed in declogging Manila ports of 245 container vans.
About 109,500 sacks of rice or a total of 800,000 kilograms of glutinous rice and 4,675,000 kgs of white rice in eight lots were sold to seven highest bidders during the public auction held at the Port of Manila.
Sta. Rosa Farm won two lots while Universal Pacific Food Corp., LOM Marketing, Marulau Trading, 1st Asia Agri Industrial Corp, Veramar Rice Mill, and Evergreen Cereal Inc. each won a lot. A total of 40 bidders participated in the auction.
The glutinous rice was sold at an average price of P49 per kilogram, while the white rice was sold at an average of P26 per kilogram.
The auctioned rice represented shipment seized from Silent Royalty Marketing and Bold Bidder Marketing and General Merchandise from November to December 2013 for lack of required import permits from the National Food Authority (NFA). As the rice shipment auctioned is still subject of on-going cases, proceeds from the auction will be held in trust by the BOC.
Recently, the agency filed smuggling-related cases against the representative and customs brokers of Bold Bidder for the firm’s illegal rice importation. Bold Bidder imported over 12,800 metric tons of rice with market value of about P512 million entering the country through Manila and Cebu from August to November 2013. Three of the eight lots auctioned are part of the seized rice from Bold Bidder.
“We are pleased with the results of the auction, which not only raised additional revenues for the Bureau but also helped declog 245 container vans from the Port of Manila,” BOC-Port of Manila acting director Mario Mendoza said in a statement.
“We are committed to expediting the disposition of forfeited shipments in the coming months,” he added.
Meanwhile, BOC-Manila International Container Port (MICP) collection district will sell 36,400 sacks of white rice through a public auction on October 17.
The rice to be auctioned—consisting of 70 container vans of white rice imported by Jade Bros. Farm and Livestock — arrived in the country without the required import permits from NFA. The shipment was originally part of the lots that was lined-up for auction last September 11. It was withdrawn following the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) by the Court of Tax Appeals. That TRO has since lapsed.
The auction is expected to generate proceeds of P47.028 million and will further help decongest MICP, according to the BOC. Public viewing of merchandise and pre-bid conference for all qualified bidders will be on October 16.
Image courtesy of Naypong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
