Mindanaotoday.com | BOC seizes P228-M smuggled sugar from Thailand
By: Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday issued two warrants of seizure and detention (WSD) against a shipment of an estimated PHP228 million worth of imported refined sugar from Thailand.
In a statement, the bureau said the warrants were issued after the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) denied the request to amend the manifest changing the name of the consignee, who was not identified as the case is still under investigation.
It also recommended that a WSD be issued against the shipment “due to lack of the requisite Clearance for Release of Imported Sugar being issued by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) in violation of Sections 117 and 1113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).”
CIIS-MICP chief Alvin Enciso said there was an attempt by the consignee to change its name on Oct. 10 after a request for issuance of an alert order was received at the District Collector’s Office on Oct. 4.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz inspected on Monday the 76 containers of sugar that arrived on Sept. 24 at the MICP.
“There is a lot of hocus pocus that these smugglers try to get away with their crimes. We aren’t just here looking for every hoarder and smuggler. We’re here to stop any action that would jeopardize our market prices, the local production, and the impact of these on our workers and consumers,” he said.
The BOC chief added that once the shipments are forfeited, they will dispose them in accordance with the law.
“If these were able to reach the local market, its significant effect, it will flood the market with smuggled sugar, the most that will be affected is our local suppliers,” Ruiz said in an interview.
On the other hand, CIIS Director and concurrent Intelligence Group (IG) officer-in-charge Jeoffrey Tacio, said intelligence reports revealed that the shipments contained “misdeclared and undeclared” items.
This led to the request for the issuance of an Alert Order on Oct. 4.
“There were already initial information about the shipment’s status. What’s good is all of us here acted expeditiously upon receiving this information from high authorities,” he added. (PNA)
####