Despite threats, BOC consistent in war against smuggling

On Feb 21, 2022

Port of Cagayan de Oro customs officials headed by Coll. Atty. Elvira Cruz, while standing behind the piles of smuggled cigarettes and holding some of them before they were destroyed, February 18, 2022. Cruz said the value of the destroyed cigarettes was more than P16 million (photo credit: BOC-PIAD).

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) remain consistent and committed in leading the government’s anti-smuggling campaign despite the threat of violence hanging over the heads of its officials and frontline personnel.

In a report to Comm. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, Port of Cagayan de Oro district collector, Atty. Elvira Cruz, said they just completed the destruction last February 18, 2022, of 2,027 master cases of smuggled cigarettes worth more than P16 million.

Cruz said the destruction, was consummated at the ‘Greenleaf 88 Non-Hazardous Waste Disposal Facility in Bgy. Bayabas, Cagayan de Oro that she personally supervised.

The cigarettes destroyed through shredding include the brand, ‘YS Red,’ ‘Titan Green’ and ‘Titan Red’ which were seized in two separate shipments from China declared as “used furniture.”

Aside from Cruz, also present during the event were, Elizabeth Delas Llagas, Deputy Collector for Operations; Atty. Roswald Joseph Pague, Deputy Collector for Administration; Oliver Valiente, Chief, CIIS CDO Field Station;

SP/Capt. Abdila Maulana Jr., District Commander, ESS-CDO; and, Marvin Mison, Chief, Assessment CDO.

Also witnessing the destruction was Richard Hart Paragas, representative of PMFTC the Philippine affiliate of Philip Morris International.

Cruz said they are now also preparing to assist the bureau’s Action Team Against Smugglers (BATAS) in the preparation of appropriate charges against those involved.

BATAS is the bureau’s main arm in the prosecution of smugglers before the Department of Justice.

At the Port of Cebu, district collector Charlito Martin Mendoza announced the seizure of second-hand LED monitors, laptop and processors worth more than P3 million over the shipment’s huge difference in its assessment declaration.

Mendoza said he ordered the issuance of an alert order on the shipment based on the information provided by the Intelligence Group.

The misdeclaration/undeclaration of the goods resulted to a discrepancy in taxes and other charges amounting to P306,974.73—five times the tax payable to the government based on the importer’s declared value.

At the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), district collector Carmelita Talusan announced the interception last February 16, 2022 of a shipment of ‘exotic aquatic wildlife’ on their arrival at the PAL PSI warehouse in Pasay City.

NAIA Customs officers examine some of the ‘exotic aquatic wildlife’ they apprehended coming from Thailand, February 16, 2022, valued at P3.5 million (photo credit: BOC-PIAD).

Talusan estimated the cost of the shipment at more than P3.5 million.

The animals were part of an importation of a certain ‘Aquaxotic Enterprises’ that originated from Thailand.

Among those seized were 180 albino soft shelled turtles and 120 pacman turtles and 38,188 various exotic fishes.

Also discovered were various aquatic plants such as 718 anubias plants and 260 pieces of microsorium plants.

Talusan further explained the shipment included animals and plants not declared under Aquaxotic’s permit to import and thus constitutes a violation of Sec. 1400 of RA 10863 also known as the Customs Modernization and Tarrif Act (CMTA).

Only last February 14, 2022, Talusan said they turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) a total of 396 specimen of local and imported ‘black ants.’

The local black ants, contained in 21 small plastic cups and 21 specimen tubes were allegedly for shipment to France, Singapore and Italy sent by a certain ‘Shin Yap.’

On the other hand, 2 shipments from Poland were also found to contain 375 black ants stored in a similar number of specimen tubes.

Talusan noted that like in other countries, the importation and exportation of non-native black ants are strictly prohibited in view of the danger they pose not only to human health but also, the environment.

“Studies in China show that non-native black ants are carrier of virus, bacteria and diseases inimical to local ecology, including agriculture and forestry,” Talusan said.

Just recently, BOC-NAIA was recognized by TRAFFIC Southeast Asia for the Port’s efforts against wildlife trafficking for 2021 which resulted to the interception of 923 tarantulas and otger arachnids, 5 centipedes, 66 Philippine and Malaysian reptiles, 22 Thailand bearded dragons and 6 Thailand live tegus.