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The Bureau of Customs seized 23 forty-footer containers of red onions with an estimated total worth of P86.250 million
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The shipment arrived in two batches at Subic port from China
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The containers consigned to a certain DuarTe Mira were all misdeclared as chapati bread
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized a total of 23 forty-footer containers of red onions with an estimated total worth of P86.25 million.
The shipment arrived in two batches at Subic port from China. They were consigned to a certain Duar Te Mira and were misdeclared as chapati bread.
Upon the arrival of the first 11 containers last July 9, BOC-Subic district collector Maritess Martin issued a pre-lodgment control order (PLCO) as requested by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS)-Subic Field Station and Enforcement and Security Group-Subic.
The PLCO was issued to verify a derogatory information received by CIIS on the shipment. Subsequent physical examination of the containers revealed red onions instead of chapati bread with estimated value of P41.250 million.
BOC-Subic then profiled and alerted the arrival of the second batch of containers that were also consigned to Duar Te Mira.
CIIS-Subic chief Verne Enciso said splitting shipments in batches is a common modus operandi among smugglers. “We monitored the manifests of incoming ships, and identified several containers also consigned to Duar Te Mira,” Enciso added.
The second batch arrived on July 13 in 12 forty-footers and were also declared to contain chapati bread.
CIIS-Subic once again requested immediate issuance of a PLCO, which was issued by Martin.
A 100% physical examination on the containers confirmed they too contained red onions with an estimated value of P45 million.
BOC tore down the walls and ceilings of the seized containers for possible drug concealment but this yielded negative results.
“This is a considerable volume of smuggled agricultural products for our port. A possible intent could have been to offload here in the north and pass these off as locally grown produce,” said Martin, who also ordered follow-up investigations on the case and against the consignee who were a no-show in claiming their shipment.
BOC said it is now weighing options on how best to dispose contents of the 23 containers, with the official issuance of warrants of seizure and detention.
