BOC-Subic scores anew; P92 million cigarettes seized
THE Port of Subic continues to make it hard for smugglers after a shipment of cigarettes worth over P92 million was seized last week.
PoS district collector, Maritess Martin, in a report to Bureau of Customs (BOC) commissioner, Rey Leonardo Guerrero, identified the erring consignee as ‘Goldlink Enterprises,’ which tried to bring in 2,050 master cases of bogus ‘Fortune’ and ‘Mighty’ cigarettes in two shipments from China but which were both apprehended last June 24, 2021.
Acting on information, Martin said she immediately issued a ‘pre-lodgement control order’ (PLCO), that allowed the local Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), the local Customs Police (ESS), the X-Ray Inspection Team and the customs examiner to conduct a 100-percent physical inspection even before a customs declaration could be filed by the consignee.
Witnessing the inspection, she added, were representatives from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Chamber of Customs Brokers Inc. (CCBI) and representatives from the Japan Tobacco Inc (JTI) and Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. (PMFTC).
Martin added they also found the smuggled cigarettes to contain fake tax seals, which is a violation of the country’s revenue laws. She added that she already had the shipment seized with the issuance of an ‘WSD’ (warrant of seizure and detention).
Official records show that only last May 28, 2021, the PoS also seized a shipment of cigarettes misdeclared as ‘footwears’ worth more than P66 million also from China consigned to RNRS Trading and, Heybronze Non-Specialized Wholesale Trading.
