P100-M smuggled agri products uncovered

The Bureau of Customs (BoC), together with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Coast Guard, has seized smuggled agricultural products worth P100 million at an unregistered cold storage in Kawit, Cavite, it was announced.

Deputy Commissioner Juvymax R. Uy of the Intelligence Group, Deputy Commissioner Teddy Sandy S. Raval of the Enforcement Group, and Director Verne Y. Enciso of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service led the operation.

This initiative was accompanied by a mission order and a letter of authorization to check three suspected warehouses holding unlawfully imported agricultural products without paying the proper duties and taxes.

During the inspection, the team was about to discover five container loads of illegally imported frozen agricultural items kept at the unregistered facility. The BoC and its partner agencies’ prompt action foiled a large attempt to flood the market with unauthorized imported goods, potentially damaging the local agriculture sector.

Following the inspection, BoC officials placed security seals on the warehouse doors to ensure the safety and authenticity of the agricultural items under inquiry. A duty roster has been established to prevent anyone from entering the area without authorization or interfering with the stored merchandise.

Bienvenido Y. Rubio, Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs, stressed the agency’s determination to combat smuggling, particularly in activities that affect the agriculture business.