DA cracks down on P2-M red onion smuggling

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has intensified its anti-smuggling efforts following the discovery of 25 metric tons of red onions illegally imported from China — one of the first such cases to fall under the newly enacted Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.

The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), in coordination with the Bureau of Customs (BoC), flagged the shipment at the Mindanao International Container Terminal in Misamis Oriental for inspection. While the container was declared to contain frozen products such as egg noodles and pizza dough, a physical examination on 11 June revealed it was actually filled with fresh red onions.

In a report to BPI Director Glenn Gerard Panganiban, Arnold dela Cruz, officer-in-charge of Region X’s Plant Quarantine Service, identified the shipment’s consignee as Lantix Consumer Goods Trading, a Binondo-based company. The container had arrived on 26 May and was initially withheld at port for verification.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized that no sanitary or phytosanitary permits were issued for onion imports from China and vowed to bring violators to justice under the new law, which carries heavier penalties for agricultural smuggling.

“We intend to go after these unscrupulous traders with the full force of the law,” he said, affirming the administration’s resolve to protect local farmers and consumers.

The shipment, estimated to be worth P2 million in customs value, is now subject to seizure and forfeiture proceedings.

“We thank the BoC and district collector Arthur Sevilla of the Mindanao Container Terminal. Because of the swift coordination between the DA-BPI and the BOC, the smuggled onions were prevented from reaching the markets,” Tiu Laurel added.

In compliance to the routing slip from the District Collector’s Office, requiring appropriate actionon the matter, sub-port collector Atty. Tomas Tagra requested for the examination of the subject shipment, and, upon inspection, the shipment was found to contain onions concealed behind boxes of egg noodles, frozen croissant dough, frozen dough buns, pizza dough and spring rolls.

Immediately after the examination, the issuance of Warrant of Seizure and Detention against subject shipment, in violation of Sections 1400 (Misdeclaration) of RA 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act) was approved by Sevilla.