spot_img
28 C
Philippines
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Customs seizes second shipment of red onions

- Advertisement -

Customs agents assigned at the Manila North Harbor intercepted P10 million worth of red onions smuggled from China.

Operatives of the Manila International Container Port – Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (MICP-CIIS) seized the  two shipments consigned to Flevo Trading on Saturday.

Based on documents, the importer misdeclared the shipments as ‘fresh yellow onions.”

CIIS officials said red onions are regulated goods, thus, the consignees need the necessary permits and the goods should be properly declared.

Customs commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero commended the CIIS team for the latest apprehension, saying the seizure is part of the agency’s campaign to protect the country’s borders against illegal importation activities.

- Advertisement -

“This has been part of our mandate from the time I took office. The focus is to stop all these smuggling activities and to send a clear message to these smugglers that we’re not going to take these sitting down. They have to face the law,” he said.

On July 9, MICP District Collector Romeo Allan Rosales issued an Alert Order to subject the shipments to a 100 percent examination, resulting in the discovery of the red onions.

The examination was conducted by the Formal Entry Division (FED) and witnessed by members of BOC’s Enforcement and Security Service (ESS). After the 100 percent examination, a Warrant of Seizure Detention was issued against the shipments.

This is not the first time the bureau intercepted illegal shipments of red onions.

Late last month, the CIIS men also seized P10 million worth of red onions hidden in a shipment that was declared to contain ice cream.

Agricultural produce required 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 claimed illegal importation of agricultural produce has been a bane to the local industry for years and they have discovered

that it also poses a threat to consumers’ health.

MICP officials said the bureau remains vigilant in its drive against unscrupulous traders preying on the country’s ports, especially during this time of coronavirus pandemic.

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles