A SMUGGLED Sports-Utility Vehicle (SUV), coming from Korea, was busted by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Davao after it was seen through the x-ray machine prompting them to issue a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD).
BOC District Collector lawyer Erastus Sandino Austria, in a press conference on Thursday, March 22, said that they are currently in the process of completing the examination report with alleged violation of general description of the shipment and misdeclaration. The commodity was apprehended last March 12.
“Meaning they declared in their good declaration was very broad, very general, difficult for the Bureau of Customs to determine with certainty if what is the content of their shipment and for us to be able to compute... kung magkano ang kanilng duties and taxes na payable to the government,” he said.
Austria said they have already sent out a notice of hearing to the importer for them to come and since a warrant of seizure and detention has already been issued, they have instructed the Customs Police to confiscate the shipment’s contents. This also developed after Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña issued an Alert Order on the cargo.
“This will serve as a stern warning to all our clients here of the Bureau of Customs Port of Davao including our sub ports to please follow the rules otherwise you are free to look for a different port where you can transact because the port of Davao is doing really well,” he said.
The shipment was declared to only contain a used dump truck, and a tractor head however when it passed through the xray examination, the examiner saw a vehicle.
He added that Lapeña inspected himself the shipment on Wednesday, March 21, during his regular Port Visit at the Port of Davao where he said that this kind of technique has been used by smugglers to evade the correct procedure.
The declared dump truck was put at the opening of the container blocking access and view to the back of the container. And, smugglers hide items they want to smuggle at the back of the container.
“Some smugglers declare they are importing motor vehicle parts. But, upon closer inspection, their shipment contains a whole vehicle only with its parts disassembled,” Austria said. “It is easy for mechanics to piece together these parts.”
They are yet to get the appeal and explanation from the 429 Enterprise, the consignee, based in Bunawan, Davao City.
“As matter of procedure first you issue a warrant of seizure and detention and then you call for a hearing here so that they are given the right to present their evidence of there is any to defend themselves and after that final seizure order will be issued by this office,” Austria said.
Should the final seizure order will be released, the subject commodity will become a property of the government of the Philippines. He said that like the previous condemnation of several smuggled vehicles, it will also be crushed.