BOC seizes P23-M worth of misdeclared frozen agricultural products

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday seized P23.27 million worth of misdeclared frozen agricultural products and foodstuffs from China concealed in five container vans at the Port of Manila.

The shipments were flagged through Customs intelligence, risk assessment, and profiling, resulting in the issuance of three pre-lodgment control orders and two alert orders.

Initially declared to contain various food products, including Fu Hua Lao Jiang Brand Classic Squid Ball, Fish Tofu, Fish Roe Balls, and Qianye Tofu, among others, the shipments underwent 100 percent physical examination.

During the inspection, authorities uncovered assorted misdeclared and illegally imported frozen agricultural products, including peeled chicken breast, skinless chicken breast, frozen pigeon, Peking duck, frozen duck meat, and other frozen food items.

The shipments have an estimated value of P17,030,697.28, with corresponding duties and taxes amounting to P6,238,192.46, for a total value of P23,268,889.74.

BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno emphasized the BOC's commitment to enforcing customs laws while strengthening coordination with the Department of Agriculture in preventing the entry of illegally imported agricultural commodities that threaten food safety, biosecurity, and the livelihood of local farmers and producers.

Port of Manila District Collector Rizalino Jose Torralba issued warrants of seizure and detention against the five shipments for violations of Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), in relation to Republic Act No. 10611 or the Food Safety Act of 2013.

The seized shipments are likewise subject to investigation for possible violations of Republic Act No. 12022, otherwise known as the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, as the aggregate value of the goods exceeds the P10 million threshold for large-scale agricultural smuggling.