July 25, 2015
Manila Standard Today (Vito Barcelo) | http://goo.gl/HbhziD
The Bureau of Customs foiled an attempt to smuggle imported sugar worth P34 million at the Manila International Container Port.
Seized were 24 40-footer container vans contained at least 13,200 sacks of imported sugar that arrived at the MICP.
The seized goods, consigned to Blue Chelsea and Real Top Enterprises, came from China and Singapore, respectively. The latter was also the consignee of smuggled Thai sugar contained in eight 40-footer container vans foiled by the bureau.
Customs Deputy Commissioner Jessie Dellosa said this was part of the government’s intensified drive against outright and technical smuggling which deprive the government of billions of pesos in rightful duties and taxes.
The shipments were declared as vacuum flasks, plastic tumblers, kitchen wares, slippers, plastic tumblers, comb, chessboards, plastic case, children’s bike, plastic chopsticks, sunglasses, plastic tray, paper cups, toothbrush, storage box, and articles of clothing such as shorts, socks, caps, trousers, among others.
“We put the containers on alert status based on derogatory information. After conducting 100 percent examination we found thousands of sacks of imported Thai sugar concealed behind boxes of items declared in the manifest like plastic tumblers, vacuum flasks, etc. strategically located in front of the container van to hide its true content”, Dellosa explained.
“We were also alerted because of the weight of the container vans. They were so heavy despite the contents declared by the importers as only as kitchen wares, clothes, and toys. If it were only plastic items and clothes it wouldn’t be that heavy,” Dellosa added.