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Cigarettes and premium Vietnamese rice worth P260 million were apprehended by authorities on February 24 at various checkpoints in Orion, Bataan
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The shipments were unloaded from the mother vessel that originated from Vietnam and loaded onto a landing craft transport vessel, which then partially unloaded the cargoes onto several trailer trucks
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The shipments were seized at various checkpoints and the premises of Orion Dockyard Inc.
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The crew of the landing craft transport and the various trucks involved are now undergoing inquest proceedings on charges of violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and other relevant laws
Smuggled cigarettes and premium Vietnamese rice worth P260 million were apprehended February 24 by authorities at various checkpoints and a landing craft transport (LCT) vessel in Orion, Bataan, according to the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
The master cases of cigarettes bearing the brands Mighty and Two Moon and the premium Vietnamese rice were intercepted at various checkpoints and at the premises of Orion Dockyard Inc. in Bataan by a team of operatives from BOC-Limay, the Enforcement and Security Service and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service of the customs bureau, the Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Coast Guard.
Based on reports, the shipments were unloaded from the mother vessel that originated from Vietnam and loaded onto LCT Yellow River, BOC said in a statement.
LCT Yellow River partially unloaded its cargoes onto several trailer trucks, and the trucks were seized at various checkpoints and at the premises of Orion Dockyard.
BOC said the shipments, which were consigned to Asia Pacific Rice Trading Corp., were accompanied by a fake statement of settlement of duties and taxes for the rice, while the cigarettes were found to lack tax seals.
Numbering about 50 individuals, the crew of LCT Yellow River and of the trucks involved are going through inquest proceedings on charges of violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and other relevant laws. Follow-up operations and investigations are also ongoing on the supposed delivery addresses of the seized items, BOC noted.
