BOC tallies 18 smuggling cases in 3 months; 46 persons charged

P80 million goods seized in Pasay City raid

On Mar 14, 2022

A member of the BOC's Action Team Against Smugglers (BATAS), swears as to the veracity of information they filed against 3 suspected smugglers before a prosecutor of the Department of Justice, March 4, 2022. Thus far, the BOC has lodged 18 smuggling cases involving 46 individuals before the DOJ since the start of the year (photo credit: BOC-PIAD).

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) under Comm. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, has thus far tallied 18 smuggling cases since the start of the year involving 46 individuals and licensed customs brokers before the Department of Justice (DOJ) while administrative cases against 3 customs brokers were also filed before the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) for the revocation of their professional licenses.

In a statement, the Bureau’s Action Team Against Smugglers (BATAS) identified the respondents as those coming from ‘GJ & M Global Resources’ and ‘PFL Export Trading,’ whose shipment of over P4 million worth of ‘dried sea cucumber’ was apprehended at the Port of Cebu last October 18, 2021, for lack of the required import permit from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

BATAS is the prosecution arm of the Revenue Collection and Monitoring Group (RCMG) headed by Deputy Commissioner Atty. Vener Baquiran and is specifically tasked to legally go after violators of the country’s customs laws and other related laws.

Another Cebu-based importer, ‘GQA Prime Commodities Corp.,’ was also charged along with its customs broker due to the “misdeclaration and unlawful importation” of various vegetables and fruits worth P2.3 million last November 24, 2021.

On the other hand, Zeechai Root Crops Trading, which landed its shipment at the Port of Subic last January 22 and January 28, 2022, was similarly hauled before the DOJ for 5 counts of alleged misdeclaration and unlawful importation.

Some of the confiscated bogus consumer goods seized by police and intelligence operatives of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) headed by the Intelligence Group (IG) at a warehouse in Pasay City, February 28,2022. The value of the goods were placed at P80 million (photo credit: BOC-PIAD).

The shipment, loaded into 8×40-footer vans, consisted of assorted vegetables, fruits, and frozen meat and fish products in the aggregate amount of P19.3 million.

The BOC said all the case filings were made before the DOJ last March 4, 2022.

P80 million fake goods seized

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence (DCI) Ranier Ramiro said they conducted another successful anti-smuggling operation in Pasay City that resulted to the seizure of counterfeit goods last February 28, 2022, worth more than P80 million.

Armed with a Letter of Authority (LOA) issued by Guerrero, the implementing team, composed of personnel from the CIIS-IPRD, BOC-POM, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, found the fake consumer goods inside a warehouse located at 2811-A, Vergel St., Pasay City.

The initial inventory of goods led to the discovery of numerous items bearing the brands: Jordan, Versace, Nike, Gucci, Burberry, and Lacoste, to name a few.

Ramiro said he has ordered further investigation of the incident to strengthen the cases the agency intends to fil against those involved but whose identities have been withheld for the moment.