BoC nets smuggled agarwood

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) seized three outbound parcels containing agarwood with an estimated value of P9 million, officials announced Friday.

The shipments were intercepted at a warehouse facility after an X-ray inspection on Tuesday flagged the packages. The items were declared as “dried alingatong wood chips” but were found to contain agarwood after a physical inspection.

The seized shipments, totaling 12.42 kilograms, are now in the custody of the Bureau of Customs-Ninoy Aquino International Airport in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

District collector Alexandra Lumontad said the seizure shows the effectiveness of cargo monitoring and inter-agency collaboration.

“BoC-NAIA ensures that our international gateways will not be exploited for the trafficking of illegal forest products,” Lumontad said.

The attempted misdeclaration violates several laws, including the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.

Meantime, BoC commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the interception “reinforces our commitment to safeguarding the country’s natural resources and preventing the illegal trade of endangered species.”