The Bureau of Customs seized a P3 million worth of imported shipment declared as household goods and personal effects but turned out to be a high-end luxury car and two motorcycles at the Manila International Container Port.
Deputy Commissioner Gerardo Gambala, head of the BoC Command Center, said the shipment was consigned to a certain Efrell B. Lopez.
“Upon examination, it showed that the declared 170 packages of household goods and personal effects, actually contained a Mitsubishi-3000 GT car, and Honda CB 900, a Yamaha, and a Kawasaki Ltd. 550 motorcycles,” he said.
The X-Ray Inspection Project Team later found undeclared items which constitutes “a prima facie evidence of smuggling.”
“The motor vehicles lacked import permit from the Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Import Service, thus was seized by the BoC,” he said.
Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said that the vehicles arrived at the MICP from Oakland, USA on board sea vessel Cosco Thailand V-50.
“The consignee will be charged with violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act in relation to Executive Order 156 which prohibits the importation of used motor vehicles,” the BoC chief said.
“I have sent a lot of warnings to all unscrupulous traders in our country to stop and obey the law but they won’t listen,” the commissioner said.
“If we must impose stricter rules to protect our country’s border, then we will do so.”