August 28, 2015
Vito Barcelo (Manila Standard Today) | http://goo.gl/PB1gno
The Bureau of Customs on Thursday seized smuggled sugar from Thailand valued at P85 million, so far the biggest apprehension this year in terms of volume and value.
Customs deputy commissioner for intelligence Jessie Dellosa said that smuggling of sugar, rice and highly taxable items became rampant in the second quarter of 2015, stressing that some Customs officials were linked to the smuggling activities.
Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina, who assumed the bureau’s top post in April this year, is at odds with Dellosa after the Customs chief transferred lawyer Leonardo Peralta, chief of Investigation Group to the ‘Customs Policy Research Office’ (CPRO) at the DOF. Peralta is a close friend of Dellosa.
During the inspection at the Manila International Container Port (micp), Dellosa vowed to go after smugglers who are known allies of politicians.
The seized imported sugar arrived at the MICP in several batches and consigned to Global Classe Marketing and Comm. Corporation with business address along FB Harrison Street, Pasay City. The customs broker who tried to facilitate the shipment’s release from the bureau is identified as Rolando Crave.
Dellosa said that Global Classe and Crave tried to avoid detection of the smuggling attempt by declaring the sugar as “general merchandize” consisting of various kitchen utensils like table spoon and fork and chopping boards, cutlery and as various school and office supplies.
The importer and consignee will be charged with smuggling, according to bureau officials. The sugar would also be automatically confiscated for lack of the import permit from the Sugar Regulatory Administration.
Although the shipment was declared to have been shipped on separate occasions from Hongkong, the bags containing the highly refined sugar showed they all came from Thailand.
“This is how they tried to evade detection, by first transporting the sugar to another port like Hongkong and then loading them to another vessel bound for the Philippines,” Dellosa said.
Meanwhile, Sugar Alliance of the Philippines president Manuel Lamata called on Lina to resign from his post following the confiscation of imported sugar worth P85 million.
In an interview, Lamata said that since Lina assumed the post, smuggling of sugar, rice and other imported merchandize increased, to the detriment of local farmers and producers.
Lamata was with Dellosa during the inspection of 56 container vans of Thai sugar. Lina cannot be reached for comment.