THE Manila International Container Port (MICP) continues to lead the 17 collection districts of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in the government’s anti-smuggling campaign for this month of June after foiling another attempt to smuggle in luxury vehicles and illicit cigarettes last week.
District Collector Romeo Rosales, in a report to Comm. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, said their latest apprehension involved the seizure of P38.1 million worth of illicit cigarettes from China last June 11, 2021, thru the efforts of the local Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) headed by Alvin Enciso and other attached units at the port.
The confiscation of the shipment from China declared as “packaging materials was preceded by the apprehension of three more luxury vehicles from Dubai, worth more than P16 million last June 9, 2021, among them a brand new, 2021 model Toyota Land Cruiser.
Rosales identified the erring consignees as ‘Green Nature Alliance Ventures’ and ‘ADNFINEST Marketing Corporation,’ respectively.
Thru the bureau’s intelligence information network, Rosales said he immediately issued a ‘pre-lodgement control order’ on the shipment of Green Nature Alliance, paving the way for its immediate 100 percent examination by customs officers.
“The examination revealed the presence of 1,090 master cases of cigarettes with brands such as Marvel, Mighty and Astro with an estimated value of Php 38.1 million,” Rosales said in a brief statement.
Prior to this, another pre-lodgement examination conducted by the CIIS on a 40-footer van (BEAU4842811) last June 9 consigned to ADNFINEST resulted to the discovery of the Toyota Land Cruiser (white), along with one second hand 2016 model Nissan GTR (red) and one second hand 2020 model Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 coupe (black).
Enciso said they got suspicious as the bill of lading (B/L) for the shipment merely described the contents as “3 units.”
The shipment has been staying dormant at the port since its arrival last May 27, 2021 as no customs entry declaration has been filed up to the time it was inspected, Enciso added.
The seizure was already the third time that smuggled vehicles were apprehended in less than a month at the MICP, Enciso noted further.
Last May 26, the CIIS also apprehended a Porsche Boxter, 2 units of Toyota MR-S sports car and one Mercedes Benz SLK sports car valued at P10 million consigned to ‘JLFDM Consumer
Trading.’
Declared as “used auto parts from Japan,” the consignee tried to conceal the vehicles by covering them with bales of used clothing.
On June 2, the CIIS again apprehended JLFDM Trading for trying to bring in 3 more luxury vehicles worth P20 million also hidden in a shipment of used clothing and declared as “used truck parts from Japan.”
The vehicles consist of one Ferrari F430 Scuderia, one Mercedes Benz SLK 55 AMG and one Mercedes Benz E220.
Enciso added the seizures were part of the CIIS’ “Coplan Tsekot” that aims to prevent the MICP from being used as entry point for vehicle smuggling.
The latest vehicle seizure has thus far resulted to the confiscation of 10 luxury vehicles with an aggregate value of more than P36 million.
Rosales said he had already issued ‘WSD’ (warrant of seizure and detention) against all the shipments and cases of smuggling and other violations of the law are being prepared against all those involved.