Government agents seized a smuggled shipment of various food and drink supplements, and one time password devices in two separate operations last month at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Seized on Nov. 9 were 170 bottles of food supplements and two boxes of dietary drink supplements worth P400,000 at the NAIA bonded warehouse, officials said.
The imported goods lacked the required importation permit from the Food and Drug Administration under the Department of Health, they said.
The parcel which arrived on board Korean Air Flight No. KE621 yielded suspicious image upon x-ray scanning, prompting the on-duty Customs inspector to tag it with “X” mark for verification.
Upon physical examination, the authorities found hundred bottles of food and dietary supplements consigned to Dr. Vigilanda M. Solijun of Misamis Oriental. It was sent from California, USA by a certain Bernie F. Manansala.
Another baggage was intercepted, this time at the NAIA Terminal 3 on Nov. 16 from a passenger onboard the Cathay Pacific Flight No. CX907 after it was found to contain 58 pieces of OTP devices.
OTPs are used in committing cybercrimes and other bank frauds using online bank transactions.
A certain Hu Tiewei with passport number EE6026013 was identified as the owner of the intercepted items.
Customs officials said the baggage showed image irregularities during the x-ray scanning and when it was examined, they found 58 pieces of OTP devices concealed in two small boxes of biscuits.
Criminal charges will be filed against the owner for importing OTP devices for violating Republic Act 8484 or the Access Device Laws, and Republic Act 10863 also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
The supplements and OTP devices are now in the custody of the BOC-NAIA for proper disposition.
Meanwhile, continuous upgrading and procurement of the BOC facilities remain among the bureau’s top priorities.
Last month, San Miguel Corp. donated four mobile x-ray screening units to the agency.
The donation comes in to aid the bureau in its campaign to guard the country’s borders and to eradicate smuggling.
The units will also contribute in the improvement of trade facilitation.
The donated units are Rapiscan Mobilecheck 636SV Mobile X-ray Screening Units and are built for baggage and parcel scanning.
One unit has been deployed to NAIA while the remaining machines will be deployed in the ports of Clark, Cebu, and Davao.