Friday, June 06, 2008 Smuggled onions, ginger seized
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) confiscated P30 million worth of illegally imported onions and ginger misdeclared as pears at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
Commissioner Napoleon Morales said the 30 40-footer containers of imported onions estimated to be worth P22.7 million and two 40-footer of ginger estimated to be worth P7.5 million were seized late last month.
Investigation disclosed that the shipments arrived in different dates and consigned to several firms.
The first shipment, which contains six containers, arrived on May 11 on board Eagle Excellence from India and was consigned to Kaizer Trading Company. Four days later, eight other containers arrived on board Dover Strait from Keelung, Taiwan, consigned to Mel Container Lines. The other 16 containers consigned to Rell International Trading arrived on May 26 on board Medalantic from India.
Meanwhile, the ginger, which was earlier declared as pears, arrived on June 1 from Hong Kong. It was consigned to Rell International Trading.
The consignees denied knowledge on the shipments, but Morales said their denial would not warrant them that they will not face criminal charges, saying they will be subjected to investigation.
"The consignees denied ownership but we will still be filing criminal charges against these importers. These products are regulated, the importers could use the denial as defense that could be manifested to the Department of Justice in determining probable cause," he said.
He added that the goods are considered contraband goods because they lack the required clearances from the concerned government agencies so their entry to the country is considered illegal.
The agricultural products will be condemned by unplugging the reefer vans and allow the seized goods to perish as they are not fit for human consumption since the shipment failed to secure phytosanitary certificate. (FP/Sunnex)
