BOC piles up charges vs. smugglers

P5 million shipment of ‘Ecstasy’ seized; claimant arrested in Pampanga

On Mar 23, 2021

‘BATAS’ sues smugglers anew. With voluminous folders in front, an officer of the BOC’s Action Team Against Smugglers’ (BATAS) swears as to the veracity of the complaints the team filed against suspected smugglers at the Department of Justice, Marh 19, 2021. BATAS is under the supervision of the Revenue Collection and Monitoring Group (RMCG) under Deputy Commissioner Atty. Vener Baquiran. Since last year, Baquiran has initiated the filing of more than 130 cases against smugglers (photo: BOC-PIAD).

JUST one week after Bureau of Customs’ ‘Action Team Against Smugglers’ (BATAS) filed smuggling charges against 2 suspected smugglers and their customs brokers last March 5, 2021, it was back again at the Department of Justice (DOJ) filing another round of smuggling cases against 2 more suspected smugglers and their customs brokers.

In a statement on March 15, 2021, the BOC identified the latest to be charged last March 12, 2021, as, ‘F.E.R.N Freight Enterprises’ and its customs broker and, ‘Primeace Corporation’ and its customs broker.

FERN was accused of trying to smuggle in thru misdeclaration a shipment of “various branded medicines and ointments” worth more than P20.35 million at the Manila International Containerr Port (MICP) while Primeace was accused of misdeclaaring its shipment of “various printing equipment and materials” worth more than P2 million at the Port of Manila.

Last March 5, BATAS, which is under the office of deputy commissioner for revenue collection and monitoring (RCMG), Atty. Vener Baquiran, also caused the filing of smuggling charges against the owners and customs brokers of ‘Arma Consumer Goods Trading’ for the foiled smuggling attempt at the Port of Manila (POM) involving steel coils and face shields worth more than P959,000 and, ‘Zhenpin Consumer Goods Trading,’ whose misdeclared shipment of various agricultural products was apprehended at the Port of Subic under Coll. Marites Martin.

Previously last February 18, 2021, Baquiran also reported to Comm. Rey Leonardo Guerrero that they also hauled before the DOJ the owners and customs brokers of ‘YJC International Corporation’ and, ‘MBS Cargo Movers.’

YJC was apprehended at the MICP last January 3, 2021, while trying to smuggle in counterfeit cigarettes worth more than P76 million misdeclared as ‘plastic frames and sheets’ while MBS was also busted for bringing in 334 boxes of “ukay-ukay” (used clothes), a banned commodity, last August 10, 2020, also at the MICP.

In his annual report summarizing the RCMG and its units’ accomplishments last year, Baquiran said they are monitoring the progress of 127 “active smuggling cases: that BATAS has filed before the DOJ.

Baquiran added that of this number, 75 criminal cases are now pending before the DOJ for preliminary investigation while 52 administrative cases against the customs brokers are now pending before the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC), for the suspension or cancellation of their licenses.

‘Another one bites the dust’

Meanwhile, the joint team of the BOC and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) again conducted a successful ‘controlled delivery operation’ last March 18, 2021 in Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga.

DRUGS INVENTORY. Joint elements from the Bureau of Customs (BOC0 and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), conducting an inventory of the more than P5 million in illegal drugs they seized in Pampanga in another successful ‘controlled delivery operation’ last March 18, 2021. Operation also resulted to the arrest of one suspect (photo: BOC-PIAD).

Originally declared as ‘Orthopedic jelly shoes,’ ‘flexible led mirror,’ ‘dust buster,’ ‘hand mixer,’ and, ‘birdhouse display,’ the package was verified to contain a total of 3,100 various tablets of ecstasy estimated to have a value of P5.270 million.

The shipment first arrived at the POM’s ‘Customs Postal Office,’ where it was subjected to close inspection.

The team then followed the claimant, Agatha Lavadia Palen, to Dau where the arrest and recovery of the illegal drugs was made.

Palen was carrying an ‘authorization letter’ from the alleged consignee of the illegal drugs, a certain ‘Zhyelle Marquez Ancheta’ when arrested, the BOC said.

The claimant is now under PDEA custody and is currently undergoing investigation while charges for violation of RA 9165 also known as the Anti-illegal Drugs Act as well as Section 1400 of RA 10863 also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, has been prepared against the suspect.

POM District Collector Michael Angelo Vargas stated that the operation is a result of good coordination, swift and decisive action as mandated by Guerrero.