AN ESTIMATED P10 million worth of used clothing were seized by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 in a raid on a warehouse in Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City yesterday.
The NBI conducted the operation with a search warrant issued by Judge Rogelio Lucmayon of the Mandaue Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 1.
The operatives arrested Korean national Jonghoi Goo and his secretary Cecil Belocura, while four other men from the trucking agency hired by Goo were also held for questioning by the NBI.
Lawyer Eric Isidoro, assistant regional director of NBI 7, said that Goo had one of the biggest warehouses of used clothing in Mandaue.
NBI agents caught Goo’s men unloading 500 sacks worth P20,000 each, which contained used shoes and apparel, from a cargo container and a mini-dump truck without plate numbers.
Erwin Milano of Hilongos, Leyte told Sun.Star Cebu that he and his other workmates were hired by Goo to unload and transport the items from Pier 3, Cebu City to Mandaue City but he said they were unaware that Goo’s business was illegal.
Goo and his secretary Belocura refused to give any statement to the media. Belocura was emotional during the raid.
The recovered items were secured by NBI inside the same warehouse and these will be donated to charitable institutions.
Milano and his three other workmates were held only for questioning.
However, Goo and Belocura will be facing complaints for allegedly violating RA 4653, which prohibits the commercial importation of used clothing to safeguard the health of the Filipino people and maintain “the dignity of the country.” (Rolando Balondo Jr., NSU AB Comm Intern/ Astra Logarta of SuperBalita)