BOC to take legal action vs misdeclared frozen mackerel shipments

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is ramping up its efforts to crack down on those involved in the misdeclaration of frozen mackerel shipments seized at the Port of Manila.

In a press statement, the agency said it recently confiscated 19 forty-foot container vans containing frozen mackerel that were falsely declared as frozen fried taro sticks, cuttlefish-flavored balls, and taro sweet potato balls.

The shipment has an estimated value of P202,814,400.00.

As part of its enforcement actions, the BOC issued Warrants of Seizure and Detention for the misdeclared shipments while the Bureau's Action Team Against Smugglers (BATAS) is currently conducting case profiling and building legal grounds for potential violations of Section 1401, "Unlawful Importation," in relation to Section 1400, "Misdeclaration, Misclassification, and Undervaluation in Goods Declaration" under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

Additionally, the BOC is working closely with the Department of Finance (DOF) to file criminal charges under the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act. 

Under Section 20 of this law, large-scale agricultural smuggling is classified as a heinous crime, punishable by life imprisonment and heavy fines. 

The misdeclaration and illegal importation of agricultural goods, such as frozen mackerel, pose serious threats to the country's food security and economic stability. 

This latest enforcement action aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s mandate to combat agricultural smuggling, which jeopardizes food security and adversely affects the livelihoods of local farmers and fisherfolk, BOC said. — Sherylin Untalan/BAP, GMA Integrated News