Monday, June 30, 2008 Navy seizes ship of smuggled rice By Carlo P. Mallo
THE Naval Forces of Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) has apprehended a ship loaded with contraband rice as it was approaching Makar Wharf in General Santos City, Monday last week.
Captain Rosauro Arnel Gonzalez Jr., NFEM Commander, said in a report Friday that the ship was loaded with at least 22 40-footer container vans of undetermined number of sacks of rice.
Gonzalez failed to identify the ship and from where it came from.
"What they declared was assorted metal parts, but we received a tip that it was rice," Gonzalez told Sun.Star Davao. "Papasok pa lang ng Gensan (It was entering General Santos City)."
The contraband was consigned to Ang Enterprises, which is also said to be based in General Santos City.
Gonzalez said that the seizure of the contraband was a joint operation between elements of the Navy, Task Force Bigas, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the Philippine National Police Maritime Command, the Philippine Ports Authority, and the National Food Authority.
The contraband, according to Gonzalez, is now with the Bureau of Customs, which will be the one to dispose of the items. (CPM)
