The Bureau of Customs (BoC) Port of Cebu had disposed of a forfeited shipment of frozen chicken mechanically deboned meat (MDM) on Monday, 24 February.

BoC Cebu District Collector Atty. Felipe Geoffrey de Vera emphasized the significance of the condemnation.

“The proper disposal of forfeited goods is not only essential in maintaining public health but also in upholding our customs law,” he stressed.

The forfeited shipment consisted of two 40-footer containers carrying 27 and 29 pallets of frozen chicken MDM, consigned to Virginia Food Inc.

De Vera cited that the condemnation was to address overstaying cargoes as the port of Cebu prioritized the swift condemnation and disposal of the goods, mitigating risks and harm to public health and freeing up port space for efficient operations.

He reminded all importers to comply with customs laws by properly declaring shipments, adhering to processing requirements and paying customs duties and taxes.

“All forfeited shipments will undergo the appropriate method of disposal. In this case, we expedited the condemnation process to demonstrate our commitment to safeguarding public safety and facilitating the seamless movement of goods within our ports,” De Vera said.

The shipment forfeiture were in accordance with Sections 1139, 1145, and 1148 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.