BOC seizes P228 million worth of alleged smuggled sugar

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) intercepted over P200 million worth of suspected smuggled sugar at the Manila International Container Port (MICP), Jun Veneracion reported Monday on “24 Oras.”

Customs officials seized around 1,906 metric tons of sugar products valued at P228 million from 76 shipping containers that arrived from Thailand on September 24.

The freight goods had no permit from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) upon verification, the BOC said.

“Based on the verification na ginawa natin sa documents noong importation, walang SRA clearance. (Based on our verification of the importation documents, it has no SRA clearance.) This is plain and simple smuggling,” said BOC Commissioner Yogi Felimon Ruiz.

Ruiz declined to name the consignee of the shipment so as not to affect the commission’s follow-up operations. He also said smugglers attempt to illegally export their products into the country, especially during the Christmas season.

The BOC chief added that if the alleged smuggled products managed to pass through the MICP, the perpetrators would then change the packaging of the sugar products to make it look like they were locally produced.

“Kung nakalabas ito, hindi local market. This will really affect our local producers,” he added.

(This is not from the local market, it will really affect our local producers if it got through the MICP.)

To provide consumers with some relief from the increase in prices, the national government said it will start offering sugar products at P70 per kilo in SRA offices in Quezon City and Bacolod City and Kadiwa stores in the country. — DVM, GMA News