THE Customs bureau has filed criminal charges against six individuals responsible for the smuggling of onions and cigarette shipments worth more than P37 million intercepted at the Manila International Container Port two months ago.
Charged with smuggling before the Department of Justice were Joseph Martin E. Arriesgado, of EAJM Enterprises; Manilou A. Hernandez, of Buensuceso Enterprise; Arvin Tugadi of Epitome International Trading, and licensed Customs broker Lorenz V. Mangaliman.
The case stemmed from the respondents’ attempt to illegally slip into the country six 40-foot reefer containers of onions which were misdeclared as shipments of fresh apples from China based on the import documents.
Misdeclaration, as defined in the Customs laws, is outright smuggling. Thus, value declaration is no longer an issue in determining whether an alert order should be issued or not as all misdeclared shipments are subject to immediate seizure by the government.
Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña Jr. said that large-scale smuggling of agricultural produce is considered as economic sabotage, not to mention its adverse effect to the farmers and producers.
Agricultural produce requires import and pythosanitary permits from the Agriculture department and its line agencies aside from filing import entries. Without the necessary clearances, the release of shipments is withheld.
Local farmers had said that illegal importation of agricultural produce has been a bane to the local industry for years and likewise poses a threat to consumers’ health.
Also charged with smuggling were Mark David G. Villanueva, owner of Marid Industrial Marketing and his broker Carme Ann S. Rollon for unlawful importation of cigarette shipment, declared in the import manifest as industrial artificial fur texture.
Customs officials said the duty for cigarette importations was raised primarily to raise revenues for the government and to discourage smoking by making it more expensive to smoke.
Dubbed as the Sin Tax Law, the authors of the law that raised duties for cigarette and liquor importations had in mind, raising more revenues for the government and helping in the government’s anti-smoking campaign by making it more expensive to smoke, when they crafted the law.
Lapeña said that his agency will remain steadfast and relentless in its effort in curbing all sorts of smuggling activities.
“More cases will be filed against importers and brokers involved in smuggling. This should serve as a strong warning against unscrupulous individuals. The government is closely monitoring their smuggling activities and the BOC will make sure these smugglers will be prosecuted,” he said.