BY ARIEL FERNANDEZ
The Bureau of Customs (BoC) has seized a shipment of P15 million worth of smuggled luxury items from Italy at the Port of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), officials reported yesterday.
During physical inspection, the anti-smuggling team of the BoC discovered that the shipment contained expensive bags, shoes and wallets of Chanel, Hermes, Christian Louboutin, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Balenciaga.
The shipment of 17 cartons, the bureau said, were fraudulently declared as personal effects like shampoo, soap, towel, toiletries, canned goods, milk, and chocolates.
The contraband, the bureau added, came from Milano, Italy, through RRG Freight Service Forwarder in Paircargo Warehouse.
The “misdeclaration” is an attempt to evade payment of correct duties and taxes by circumventing duty and tax-free privileges afforded to balikbayan boxes.
The said modus operandi was uncovered by diligent review of commercial documents by customs examiners.
The 100% physical examination of the shipment confirmed that it actually consists of branded bags, shoes, wallets and earrings in commercial quantities.
According to District Collector Carmelita M. Talusan, the shipment will be subjected to seizure and forfeiture proceedings for violation of Section 1400 in relation to Section 1113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Likewise, the records and details of the apprehension will be referred to the Bureau Action Team Against Smugglers (BATAS) for case profiling and build up against the personalities involved in the foiled smuggling of the high-end branded items. (Ariel Fernandez)
