THREE reefer containers carrying smuggled vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli and red onions, worth P4.7 million were found inside a warehouse in Malabon City on Thursday, November 11, 2021.
The smuggled agricultural products were discovered during an inspection conducted by the Sub Task Group on Economic Intelligence (STG-EI) at the Unican Industrial Corporation located in Barangay Catmon, Malabon City.
The inspection was conducted after the STG-EI received information from the intelligence unit of Philippine National Police (PNP)-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) about the sightings of possible smuggled agricultural products stored in a warehouse in the area.
Found inside the warehouse were seven makeshift reefer containers, three of which -- 40-foot -- contained the smuggled vegetables.
A vegetable reefer van was also found being loaded with smuggled broccoli for a wet market delivery upon entry of the inspection team.
The warehouse caretaker, Vicente Cruz, said the operation has been going on for one year.
He said four 40-foot reefer containers enter the warehouse regularly containing mixed vegetables, which were distributed to various markets via delivery vans.
The Bureau of Customs-Customs Intelligence and Investigation team sealed all the three reefer containers with smuggled vegetables and padlocked the entire warehouse.
The inventory of the smuggled goods was scheduled Friday, November 12.
PNP-CIDG Camanava also arrested the workers inside the warehouse for further investigation. (SunStar Philippines)