BOC seizes P30-M worth of smuggled luxury cars

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported the interception of two smuggled luxury vehicles misdeclared as used truck replacement parts at the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental on 15 December by the BOC Port of Cagayan de Oro (BOC-CDO) in collaboration with the BOC Intelligence Group (BI-IG).

According to BOC-CDO, a shipment from Korea arrived in the country on 12 December. It was consigned to a certain M. Aguila Car Trading and declared 1,045 replacement truck parts but the authorities discovered two Porsches at an estimated value of P30 million.

Upon receiving derogatory information, the BOC Intelligence Group requested the Port of Cagayan de Oro issue a Pre-Lodgment Control Order (PLCO) against the subject shipment. This was followed by a joint spot-check examination request from CIIS CDO Surigao Field Station chief Oliver Valiente and XIP CDO chief Jenkinn Gutierrez.

BOC-CDO acting district collector Alexandra Y. Lumontad promptly issued an alert order for a full examination of the container, leading to the discovery of the smuggled luxury vehicles.

The said shipment will be subject to a warrant of seizure and detention for violating Section 1400 of RA 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, in connection with Section 1113 of that same act.

BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio stated, "Our ports are steadfast in protecting our borders to ensure that goods are thoroughly inspected, preventing illicit cargo entry."

Robubio added that the Port of Cagayan de Oro aligns its mission with the five-point priority program of the BOC to combat smuggling in all its forms.