A COMPOSITE government team headed by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) raided last October 1, 2021 a warehouse in Quezon City and discovered, to their amazement, sacks upon sacks of assorted Philippine coins worth some P50 million and 8 unregistered luxury cars.
BOC Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence (DCI) Raniel Ramiro, in a message to Pinoy Exposé, said the operation at a warehouse at No. 51 Sct. Tuazon St., Bgy. Laging Handa, Diliman, was based on a Letter of Authority (LOA) signed by Comm. Rey Leonardo Guerrero.
He added his men from the Custom Intelligence and Investigation Service – Port of Manila (CIIS-POM), were joined in the operation by agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
Aside from the Philippine coins of assorted denomination, Ramiro said the raiding team also seized one Lamborghini, one Nissan GTR, one Ferrari, one Ford Shelby GT500, one Mercedes Benz, one Karosserie, one Ford Raptor and a Nissan Cefiro, all with an estimated market value of P100 million.
Prior to the raid, the area has been under intelligence surveillance for the past two months.
Ramiro said they are still determining the purpose of the hoarded Philippine currency, although the NBI, in a separate statement, said the coins could have been profits from illegal gambling.
“Aside from the 8 luxury cars that are still for verification of its payment of duties and taxes, the millions of assorted coins will be inventoried, authenticated and traced by the BSP,” Ramiro said.
“The suspicious collection is likely liable for economic sabotage, or possibly a predicate crime of money laundering. We are still to confirm the possible violation against the owner/s of the voluminous coins since NBI and BSP are still investigating the matter,” Ramiro told Pinoy Expose.
Meanwhile, over a week after being operational, the bureau’s ‘WPD’ (Water Patrol Division) scored its first seizure, with the apprehension of a vessel being discharged at the Port of Manila after arriving from Iloilo.
The BOC said the vessel, ‘MV Long Xiang,’ was seized while being discharged from its ‘mother vessel,’ the ‘MV ALL KOBE,’ last September 28, 2021.
Acting on an intelligence report, Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, immediately instructed the Customs Police (Enforcement Security Service) and the bureau’s ‘QRT’ (Quick Reaction Team) to use their newly-acquired fast patrol boats (Pinoy Exposé Volume 2, Issue No. 38) and the WPD to search for the MV ALL KOBE and verify the information as regards the other vessel.
It was discovered that the MV Long Xiang, was not included in the manifest-waybill and that no corresponding import declaration entry was filed with the BOC by the ship owner or agent.
The seized vessel was further discovered to have previously used a fake name, ‘Yue Xin He 813,’ to avoid detection during voyages.
Further information received from the QRT and WPD personnel who boarded the vessel showed that the vessel’s name at its stern side had already been covered with white paint.
The seized vessel is currently moored in the vicinity of Manila Bay area. It would be placed under continuous guarding by the WPD during the pendency of the seizure proceeding.
It can be recalled that last August 23, 2021, 4 luxury vessels with an aggregate cost of P120 million were also seized at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
The vessels were identified as the ‘Le Boss’ (approx. 70-footer), ‘Yuzhen8’ (approx. 55-footer), ‘Yua Hal Ming Zhu’ (approx. 110- footer) and, ‘Gu Cheng Gang Guan’ (approx. 59-footer).
MICP intelligence chief, Alvin Enciso said that aside from being conspicuous, their attention was drawn to the vessels after learning these are being used not only for transport services but for other commercial purpose such as for pleasure cruise and as private party venues.
On inspection of documents, it was found out that the yachts have no “conversion permit” for local use and their payment of taxes and duties are also questionable (Pinoy Exposé article of August 23, 2021).