P3M worth of ‘chop-chop’ vehicles seized

Thursday, July 7, 2011

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Cebu yesterday seized parts of used vehicles from South Korea, which were allegedly misdeclared and imported illegally.

Port of Cebu District Collector Ronnie Silvestre issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) immediately after the 40-foot van containing an estimated P3 million worth of prohibited goods was opened.

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

The container van bearing the number EMCU 9599474 belongs to Evergreen Shipping Agency. The contents were consigned to Aya Day Trading.

Silvestre forwarded the WSD to lawyer Edward James Dy Buco, chief of the Port of Cebu legal division, for seizure and forfeiture proceedings.

BOC officials seized the parts exactly one week after the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 7 confiscated P3 million worth of right-hand drive vehicles from a building in the North Reclamation Area in Cebu City.

The 13 illegally imported vehicles included a Suzuki wagon, three Mitsubishi Pajero, four Toyota Revo, three Isuzu Bighorn and two Honda Fit units.

The Port of Cebu will endorse Aya Day Trading to the Run After the Smugglers (Rats) group of the Department of Finance for a separate investigation and the possible filing of criminal charges.

Silvestre said that even though the seized items are used, these can still command a high price because these are parts of a Hyundai Sonata sedan.

“Had these not been seized, obviously, these vehicles, if assembled by the owner, would have been sold to Cebuanos,” he said.

The district collector also ordered Enforcement and Security Services (ESS) Commander Isidro Estrera and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Supervisor Rico Rey Holganza to investigate if Aya Day Trading exists and has a BOC import accreditation.

If it exists and is accredited, Silvestre said Aya Day Trading will be blacklisted and will be prohibited from importing goods.

“The seizure of this van of used vehicles is part of our continuing concern to prevent a repetition of vehicle smuggling,” Silvestre said.

Silvestre said the six “chop-chop” vehicles are all left-hand drive, which is allowed in the country only the vehicles are imported brand-new. But the vehicles are used, and Executive Order 156 prohibits the importation of used vehicles.

Silvestre added that the consignee also violated Section 2503 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines for misdeclaring the shipment as replacement parts.

“Under the rules of classification, these vehicles are considered essentially complete because while some parts were removed, these were there inside the container van together with the truck battery,” he explained.

Silvestre plans to inspect the different car display centers in Cebu to find out if some of the vehicles are smuggled and untaxed.

But Silvestre clarified that before they can do so, their office would need a mission order from Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez.