Customs seizes undervalued goods

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) reported yesterday the seizure of about P30 million worth of steel pipes, mobile phones, appliances, sporting goods and other taxable items from China at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

The steel pipes came from Guangzhou and Hebei, China and consigned to Siegreich Enterprise in Escolta, Manila. They were found to have been undervalued based on actual versus declared weight.

Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said that upon verification, a customs examiner noted that the shipment weighed 27,100 kilos on the magna scale based on net stowage, way heavier than the declared weight.

The BoC determines the actual weight of the shipment minus the container weight to determine the duties due. The bureau valued the steel shipment at P18 million.

Another shipment consigned to Hepomlan Trading was intercepted for misdeclaration and lack of import permit from Food and Drugs Administration.

The shipment which arrived on 13 May 2018 was declared to contain screws, earphones, inflatable toys, molds, aluminum oil boxes, mats, labeling machines, freezers, plastic containers, blouses, skirts, cell phone stands and printer fitting.

However, MICP authorities found the shipment to contain teeth whitening sets, aerosol insecticides, wedding ring cases, sporting goods, cutlery sets, lamp shades, and hair treatment products.

The goods were estimated to be worth P12 million, Collector Vener Baquiran said.

The importers of the seized items violated Section 1400 in relation to Section 1113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) of 2016.

The customs chief said once the steel pipes and tubes are forfeited in favor of the government, it will be auctioned off to generate more revenues to the bureau.

Meanwhile, the BoC has filed criminal cases against three alleged smugglers and a licensed customs broker involved in a so-called “swing operation” at the sub-port of Tagoloan in Misamis, Oriental.

The cases were filed against consignees Mave Trading, JDan Trading and General Success Merchandize, along with their custom broker Raul M. De Leon Jr.

Mave Trading imported five container vans of onions and two container vans of used clothing. JDan Trading brought in 2,167 bags of sugar declared as pre-fabricated steel.

General Success smuggled 2,316 bags of sugar declared as boiler casings.

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