|
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Smuggled used cars held at Makar Wharf
By Edwin G. Espejo
AT LEAST 53 used vehicles, reportedly imported illegally from South Korea, were seized by joint elements of Joint Task Force Gensan and the Bureau of Customs here Wednesday morning.
The vehicles were loaded inside nine 40-footer container vans and were opened in the presence of National Anti-Smuggling Task Force (Nastaf) chief Angelo Reyes and customs officials.
The contrabands were earlier declared as used kitchen utensils, farm implements and fishing equipment.
Joint Task Force Gensan chief Col. Edgardo Gurrea however claimed the consignees of the contraband were fictitious and that nobody came forward to present entry documents as well as claim the seized cargoes.
The vans arrived last month and last week, according to records provided by JTFG and the Bureau of Customs here.
Wednesday's seizure was at least the fourth time importers tried to smuggle in used vehicles using the Makar Wharf as entry.
In February, more than 40 used vehicles, most of them Kia and Hyundai sedans, were also seized in separate operations conducted by JTFG.
The vehicles were ordered seized and are now under the custody of the Bureau of Customs here.
Reyes said all the contrabands, including those seized Wednesday, will be forfeited in favor of the government.
They would most likely be auctioned to the public, Reyes told reporters Wednesday.
He appealed to residents in the city to provide authorities information that would lead to the further elimination of smuggling.
"It (smuggling) is prejudicial to the economy. It destroys the local industries and it deprives the government of its rightful share of taxes and duties," Reyes said.
He said the government has already successfully curbed smuggling in Zamboanga City and is going after smuggling syndicates throughout the country.
"What we are trying to do is to move from south to the north. So (from) Zamboanga, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Cebu and upwards," the anti-smuggling chief further explained.
He admitted that smugglers are attracted to General Santos because of its proximity to the port of origins where smuggled goods came from.
He however assured that Nastaf is "exerting efforts to assist the Bureau of Customs in its anti-smuggling activities."
Gurrea, on the other hand, said they requested the BOC office here to issue an alert order after receiving intelligence reports that another round of illegal shipment would arrive in the city.
True enough, the vans arrived in separate dates aboard three different vessels.
One container van, declared as used auto parts, arrived on board MV Intra Bhum on May 26.
Three vans were also unloaded last May 29 from MV Asean Traders, declared as used household utensils consigned to Core House Supply, which address located in Barangay Apopong.
A check on the said listed consignee yielded negative results as Gurrea said the firm is fictitious.
The five other vans arrived on board MV Munster and were described as fishing equipment and farm implement.
Their consignees were HST Aqua Enterprises and RB Farm Inc., both reportedly non-existing establishments.
The vans all originated from Inchon in South Korea, according to the ships' manifest.
Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr., who accompanied Reyes, lauded the military and customs officials for successfully preventing the entry of the said contraband.
"We really do not want to have illegal activities in the city," he said.
Meanwhile, Gurrea said some customs employees last Sunday reportedly tried to sneak out one container van, which was included in the list of cargoes that he requested to be issued alert orders.
A special permit got transfer (SPT) reportedly covered the van but Gurrea warned the customs employees that he would forcibly seize the van if trucked out of General Santos.
The van ended up inside the compound of Fast Cargo, a forwarding company in Makar, which was reportedly hired to transport the contraband.
The van was among those opened up Wednesday in the presence of Reyes, customs officials and the city mayor. The van yielded six second hand cars.
Although customs officials are yet to declare the value of the seized contraband, sources the shipment is valued at least P7.5 million.
(June 10, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
