Warrant of seizure vs 3 in smuggled goods okayed

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

THE Bureau of Customs (BOF) Davao issued Tuesday a warrant of seizure and detention against the three consignees of the recently seized shipment.

Lawyer Martiniano B. Bangcoy, district collector of the BOC Port of Davao, signed the warrant of seizure and detention against Aya Day Trading, Alvee Trading and D Golden House Trading Company, consignees of the 23 30-foot container vans from China and Hong Kong.

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The 23 vans, which were opened in the presence of the media last February 3, contained P18-million worth of potatoes and onions, misdeclared as margarine, lanolin, savory products, shortening and yeast.

Bangcoy said that with the signed warrant of seizure and detention, lawyer Rey Avelino, chief of BOC Davao's law division, will be sending notices of hearing to the consignees, who are said to be accredited BOC importers.

If nobody will appear during the scheduled hearings, the case will be automatically resolved or ex parted, Bangcoy said.

The consignees of the smuggled products will also be charged in court with violation of Section No. 2503 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines in relation to the same code that prohibits smuggling operations in the country.

The smuggled products will be destroyed once they are declared as forfeited in the condemnation proceedings.

"Once the decision of forfeiture is issued and becomes final and executory, the products will be condemned 15 days after the issuance of the copy," Bangcoy said, adding that condemnation may take place in the third week of this month.

Last week's interception of smuggled products is the first seizure after Bangcoy assumed his post on September 23, 2011.