BoC disposes ‘ukay’ products, confiscated goods

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) reported Sunday that it had disposed of a wide array of confiscated products in Zamboanga City, including over 200 bales of used clothing, to ensure non-compliant goods are kept out of the supply chain.

In a statement, the BoC disclosed that the forfeited goods were dumped into a sanitary landfill by the Port of Zamboanga on 2 December. The condemned items included 281 bales of used clothing, locally known as ukay-ukay; 153 sacks of sugar; and 28 boxes of various medicines.

The items were previously forfeited for violations of Republic Act 4653, which bans the commercial importation of used clothing, and Republic Act 9711, the Food and Drug Administration Act, in relation to Section 117 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

The latter prohibits the importation of regulated health products without proper authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.

“Beyond the seizure of illicit goods, we must ensure their proper and safe disposal to prevent risk or harm to the public and the environment,” BoC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said in the news release.

Nepomuceno added that the condemnation was streamed live online “to uphold transparency and integrity in all customs operations.”