‘Inside job’ eyed in Customs warehouse pilferage

LAWYER Lyceo Martinez, district collector of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), said the full extent of the law will be slapped on erring personnel once they will be found involved in unscrupulous activities.

Martinez issued the statement as he foresees the involvement of some BOC personnel in the disappearance of seven bales of confiscated dried seahorse from the agency’s warehouse in Zamboanga City.

“There is a big possibility that there’s an inside job on what had happened, that some of the BOC personnel are involved,” Martinez said citing it happens in every organization.

Martinez said that closed-circuit television cameras had been installed at the warehouse to prevent a repeat of the incident.

The seven bales of dried seahorse were discovered missing on September 6 at the BOC warehouse.

The seven bales were part of the 15 bales of dried seahorse with an estimated worth of P3 million the operatives of the Zamboanga Coast Guard Station intercepted on August 15 at the local port.

The bales of dried seahorse were mixed with the shipment of another cargo placed in a 20-footer container van.

The shipment was seized as the catch and sale of seahorse is prohibited under existing laws and is punishable with find and imprisonment.

Martinez said the National Bureau of Investigation is investigating to determine who are responsible over the incident.

He said appropriate sanctions will be slapped against those who will be found involved over the disappearance of the confiscated seahorse. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)

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