P15-M smuggled onions confiscated

Agents of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) seized Tuesday some P15 million worth of smuggled onions from India at the Manila International Container Port.

Customs officials said the 11 container vans containing imported fresh-red Indian onions were supposed to be transported to Binondo in Manila ang Candaba in Pampanga when intercepted.

Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said they found out that the importation has no valid permits from the Bureau of Plant and Industry (BPI) to date.

It was learned that eight of the 11 container vans of onions were consigned to Mheriban Sales Corporation (MSC) in Juan Luna Street, Barangay 287, Zone 27, Binondo, Manila; while the three remaining container vans were bound to Malaya Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MMPC) in Mapaniqui, Candaba, Pampanga.

Upon discovery of smuggled onions, Faeldon said the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) in MICP led by Officer-In-Charge Teodoro C. Sagaral called the BoC’s Command Center to issue an alert order on the shipment after a check with BPI showed that the importer failed to validate its import permit on or before Dec. 31, 2016.
(Betheena Kae Unite)