By BETHEENA UNITE
Two containers of smuggled cigarettes worth P60 million were intercepted at the Port of Subic, the Bureau of Customs said Wednesday.
Instead of the declared items – steel wire mesh – boxes of Union and D&B cigarette brands were found in the shipment during an inspection on Tuesday.
According to District Collector Maritess Martin, the shipments arrived at the port separately on September 5 and 6 from China and were consigned to BWFIC Trading.
Documents showed that both containers were only declared as steel wire mesh. An order to open the shipments for 100 percent examination was later ordered.
Customs intelligence and enforcement officers led the inspection with the presence of Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp., Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Philippine Coast Guard-Subic.
Martin said the shipments were seized for violation of National Tobacco Administration (NTA) Memorandum Circular No. 03 Series of 2004 and NTA Board Resolution No. 079-2005 in relation to Section 1113 (f) and Section 1400 (misdeclaration) of R.A 10863 otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
“An intensified effort to protect our border and stop smuggling at the Port of Subic are being practiced,” Martin said, vowing to intensify the port’s drive in uncovering similar shipments in her jurisdiction.
