P5M worth of suspected smuggled agri products seized in 3 Binondo warehouses

Some P5 million worth of suspected smuggled agricultural products were seized from three warehouses in Binondo, Manila during a government raid, according to reports on Unang Balita and 24 Oras on Wednesday. 

Operatives from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) raided four cold storage facilities, three of which were found to be repositories of smuggled contraband suspected to have come from China.

Maricel Lazaro, a manager of one of the warehouses, said she had no knowledge that the items were smuggled.

“Wala po (akong alam), kasi pumasok lang po ako dito. Sabi magbenta po ako, mag-resibo lang po. Wala po kaming alam sa may-ari. Ang kilala lang po namin yung pinaka-head lang po, 'yung nasa taas lang po. Filipino head lang po siya. Siya lang po yung lagi naming nakakausap,” she said. 

(I just came in here, and they said I have to sell and give receipts. We don't know anything about the owner. We only know the head of the warehouse who is Filipino.) 

Vegetables such as garlic, bell pepper, and fruits like grapes, strawberries, and oranges were seized in the raids.

Authorities are still identifying the owner of the other warehouses, who may be charged for violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

“Malaking pinsala ito sa mga local na magsasaka,” said Jovan Lugtu of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP), referring to the smuggled agriculture products.

(These smuggled products severly affect the livelihood of local farmers.)

"Ang pinagbebentahan talaga nila ay 'yung mga retailer ng gulay," said NBI Anti Organized and Transnational Crime DIvision Jerome Bomediano.  

(They sell the produce to vegetable retailers.)

Based on NBI's investigation, the products entered the country through Zambales.

"Hindi natin alam kung safe ba itong mga gulay na ito, kung may mga chemicals na nilagay diyan, kaya delikado ito sa tao. Siguradong hindi nagbayad ng tax ang itong mga ito dahil hindi nila idineclare nang tama," Bomediano added.

(We don't know if these vegetables are safe, and if chemicals were applied on them. So these are unsafe for humans. For sure, they did not pay taxes because the items were not declared correctly.)

GMA Integrated News has reached out to the company that manages the two other warehouses, but it has yet to issue a statement as of posting time.  — Sherylin Untalan/KBK/ VDV, GMA Integrated News