More and more smugglers have been trying their luck sneaking poultry into the country, as evidenced by a recent raid by Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service - Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) operatives in Parañaque City.

The CIIS-MICP said that last 5 September, P85 million worth of smuggled poultry products from China were seized.

CIIS Director Verne Enciso, whose team worked with the MICP, the Department of Agriculture Inspectorate and Enforcement (DAIE), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), said that the composite team found frozen duck meat, frozen chicken meat, frozen pork meat, frozen food items with Chinese markings, and assorted food and beverage with foreign markings.

“The initial inventory found that these poultry products will amount to about P85 million in the market. But we’re still determining the actual cost once final inventory is conducted by our examiners,” he explained, adding that, “Proper information, once vetted by BOC’s intelligence officers, lead to significant operations that ensure our markets are clean from unsafe, unhealthy, and illegal products.”

With the final inventory still to be done by the assigned Customs examiner and witnessed by warehouse representatives, CIIS, and Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy said that the warehouse was temporarily padlocked and sealed to protect the affected goods.

“Every smuggling activity that the BOC foils creates a fairer and safer community for all—consumers, retailers, and businesses alike. There is no room for error, especially when it involves the entry of illegal agricultural products because it affects our farmers and fisherfolk,” he added.

The owners of the warehouses will be given 15 days to present the proper documents to clear out allegations they were hoarding imported agricultural products.

If found without proper documents, the corresponding seizure and forfeiture proceedings will be conducted against the subject shipments for violation of Sec. 1400 (misdeclaration in goods declaration) in relation to Sec. 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of Republic Act No. 10863, known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).