Smuggled agri products, cigarettes worth P136M seized in Subic

Authorities seized agricultural products and cigarettes worth around P136.59 million were seized in Subic, according to the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

"On August 15, 2024, five 40-foot containers said to contain 13,250 cartons of frozen fish egg balls, with an estimated value of PhP 21 million. However, the shipment was made the subject of a verification request from the BOC’s Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Juvymax R. Uy, and led to issuance of Alert Order against the same on August 22, 2024," the BOC said in statement on Wednesday.

“They're doing smuggling to basically makaiwas sa taxes. [Para] maka-take advantage sa presyo sa Pilipinas, which affect our farmers,” said Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel in a 24 Oras report by Ivan Mayrina on Wednesday.

(They’re doing smuggling to basically avoid taxes. [So that] they can take advantage of the Philippine prices, which affect our farmers)

After a physical examination on August 28, the containers were revealed to have fresh carrots and yellow onions that did not have proper documents, such as Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance.

A warrant of seizure and detention was then implemented on the containers.

The items will undergo further testing to ensure that it is not similar to an earlier batch of smuggled vegetables, which tested positive for contamination of pesticide, heavy metals and micro-bacteria.

Meanwhile, 1,1986 master cases of cigarettes from Taiwan worth P115.5 million were discovered in two 40-foot containers declared as “Packages Tissue” on September 6.

The said packages also lacked registration and tax exemption certificates, and import commodity clearance.

The consignee’s registration to the Bureau of Customs was also found to have expired.

On Wednesday, BOC officials and Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. conducted a re-inspection of the intercepted agricultural products.

The registered consignee of the smuggled items will face the necessary charges, while the DA and BOC are conducting a review into importers of agricultural products as part of their efforts against illegal smuggling.  —Jiselle Anne Casucian/VAL/RF, GMA Integrated News