Five shipments containing agricultural products from China worth P24 million were recently seized at the Manila International Container Port (MICP), the Bureau of Customs (BoC) said.
All shipments showed discrepancies in the weight and declaration during the x-ray examination, the bureau said, prompting them to alert the cargoes which arrived at the port on separate dates last month.
When the alerted cargoes were opened for physical examinations, boxes of carrots, onions, and potatoes were discovered mixed with the declared goods inside the containers.
According to the bureau, the shipments were only declared to contain apples, oranges, and pears.
Four of the five shipments were consigned to Ingredient Management Asia Inc., and one to Mcrey International Trading, the bureau added.
The seized carrots were estimated to be worth P15 million while the onions were about P4 million and the potatoes were valued at P5 million.
The seized goods will be condemned by the BoC as they were not covered by any Phytosanitary permit from the Bureau of Plant Quarantine. Agricultural items that are not covered by these permits may carry plant diseases and pests that can affect the local agriculture.
The bureau has heightened its efforts against smuggling of agricultural products in order to fulfill part of its mandate to protect the local farmers against harsh and unfair competition.
The shipments violated Sections 1400, 1113 and 117 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, RA 3720 or the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and RA 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016. (Betheena Kae Unite)