BOC seen to double 2020 seizure record

THE Philippine Bureau of Customs ( BOC) is expected to top, if not double, the amount of apprehended smuggled goods this year with its mid-year seizure already at a record high of more than P10 billion, nearly as much as the total amount of smuggled goods it apprehended in 2020.

Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence (DCI) Raniel Ramiro, in his mid-year report to Comm. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, said since the start of 2021, the Intelligence Group (IG) initiated 565 seizures that netted P10.195 billion worth of smuggled goods, or less than P400 million from the total P10.6 billion worth of smuggled goods the bureau seized last year.

With still over 5 months to go before the year ends, Ramiro said there is basis for the BOC to expect to double the value of smuggled goods that can be seized this year.

He added that the IG also implemented 37 ‘LOAs’ (Letter of Authority) issued by Guerrero that resulted to the closure of three facilities that are being used to store smuggled goods.

Of the goods confiscated, Ramiro said more than half, or P5.575 billion, consisted of fake or counterfeit products; the value of smuggled cigarettes, on the other hand, reached P1.089 billion.

Ramiro also reported the recent apprehension at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) of smuggled agricultural products worth more than P12 million while more than P10 million worth of smuggled medical supplies have been seized at the Port of NAIA.

Additionally, Ramiro also reported that the BOC accreditation of 562 importers were revoked and suspended after being found to have engaged in smuggling activities and for violating relevant provisions of RA 10863 or the ‘Customs Modernization and Tariff Act’ (CMTA).

“Basta ang isang kargamento ay na-isyuhan ng WSD, automatic, revoked ang (customs) accreditation ng importer,” — Atty. Maronilla

BOC spokesman, Atty. Vincent Maronilla, during the ‘Meet the Press/Report to the Nation’ media forum of the National Press Club (NPC) last July 9, 2021, said that as a matter of policy laid down by the customs chief, the accreditation of any importer (and customs broker) whose shipment was issued an ‘WSD’ (warrant of seizure and detention) by the concerned port collector is “automatically revoked.”

“Basta ang isang kargamento ay na-isyuhan ng WSD, automatic, revoked ang (customs) accreditation ng importer,” the official said.

‘Destruction favors government, public’

Maronilla also said public criticism, especially on social media, on the bureau’s policy of destroying confiscated goods, instead of auctioning them for additional revenue, is misplaced.

In the case of smuggled vehicles where the BOC this year had already destroyed nearly P100 million worth of luxury vehicles on two occasions, Maronilla said their analysis disclosed that the government is always at the receiving end in terms of revenue losses.

“Mas malaki ang nawawalang buwis sa gobyerno kung makalusot ang smuggled vehicles,” Maronilla said, citing as an example, the destruction by the BOC last June 18, 2021, of a ‘McLaren 620R’ worth some P16 million but which was misdeclared by the importer to make it appear that it only cost some P3 million.

In the case of counterfeit products, Maronilla said that aside from protecting copyright holders and original brand owners, the purpose of their destruction is to also protect public health.

He said that analysis of materials used to manufacture fake products disclosed them to contain very high level of lead that can affect the health of consumers.

“Ang hindi alam ng ating mga kababayan, mataas ang ‘lead content’ ng mga produktong ito at delikado sa kalusugan ng mga consumers,” Maronilla added.

, IF NOT