THE Intelligence Group (IG) of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) under Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy, continues to gain success in its anti-smuggling campaign, seizing suspected “illicit” (smuggled) consumer goods in Malabon City during a series of operations last March 11 worth some P1.2 billion.
Director Verne Enciso of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), the IG’s operational arm, said the operations were conducted based on the ‘LOAs’ (Letters of Authority) signed by Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio.
He added the operations were conducted in a transparent manner with the cooperation from the BOC Enforcement and Security Service (ESS/Customs Police), the operational arm of the Enforcement Group (EG) under Deputy Commissioner Teddy Raval and the Task Force Aduana of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Supervising the operations is the Field Office of the CIIS at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) under Alvin Enciso with further oversight from District Collector Rizalino Torralba.
Among others, the team claimed to have discovered a “substantial volume of counterfeit goods” and disposable vapes without Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) tax stamps and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers, and various unregulated merchandise stored within the premises of the subject warehouses.
All the suspected warehouses have been sealed, until an official inventory is concluded, Enciso added.
Torralba is also soon expected to issue an ‘WSD’ (warrant of seizure and detention) against the confiscated goods for violation of
Consequently, a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) will be issued against the confiscated goods for violation of RA 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) in relation to Republic Act No. 8293, also known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.