A total of 146,000 liters of unmarked fuel, with an estimated value of P88 million, were seized by the combined elements of the Bureau of Customs and National Bureau of Investigation in Mariveles, Bataan over the weekend, which also resulted in the impounding of a motorized tanker.
In a statement, the seizure of the said vessel last Saturday, 16 December 2023, was done by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service and NBI's Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division at the Manila International Container Port.
The report said agents of the CIIS-MICP and NBI proceeded to 1466 Brgy. Alas Asin in Mariveles, Bataan to validate the report they received.
Based on the report of BOC-CIIS Director Verne Enciso, the estimated value of the fuel and 16 lorry trucks is P88 million, while the estimated value of the vessel is P60 million.
"Our agents boarded the MT LORNA 2 at around 9 p.m. last night. They immediately extracted samples of alleged smuggled fuel from the 12 compartments because these samples would need to be tested first," he said.
"So far, initial test results by ESS fuel marking and SGS mobile laboratory units that arrived around midnight showed that the fuel sampled from the motorized tanker and lorry trucks failed or was unmarked. We would need to do further confirmatory tests," Enciso added.
Enciso also shared that some 11 lorry trucks were in the area waiting to be loaded but of that number, only four trucks were found to be loaded with fuel.
An additional five lorry trucks filled with 32,000 liters of fuel were also found during a CIIS follow-up operation, he said.
Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Juvymax Uy assured an even more intensified monitoring of smuggling attempts during the holiday season.
"Although holiday traffic is building, our officers will remain focused on their enforcement mission. We plan to keep the traffic moving while also keeping our eyes on the actions being taken by these groups and prevent smuggled and harmful products from crossing our shores," he said.