THE Bureau of Customs confiscated some P20 million worth of iPhone mobile phones declared as wall clocks, furniture shoe racks and shoes at the Manila International Container Port.
The seized shipment was consigned to Autum Way Enterprises with address in Binondo, Manila while a certain Mario Botona Jr. was named as its licensed customs broker, Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said.
“The shipment was initially put on alert by Atty. Zsae Carrie de Guzman of the Intellectual Property Rights Division after receiving derogatory reports that the shipment aboard contain high-end cellular phones,” he said.
The BoC found more than 400 pieces of iPhones surreptitiously hidden and concealed in sacks with the declared goods.
Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service Director and BoC spokesperson Neil Estrella said the shipment was originally declared to contain wall clocks, furniture shoe racks, fabrics and Marlin shoes.
“The flagrant attempts of crooked importers to smuggle high-value communication items through misdeclaration will definitely be checked by BoC, and both the importer and broker will end up facing sanctions without prejudice from possible criminal charges that we will file in courts,” Estrella said.
He said the importer faced possible imprisonment and a fine of not less than P1 million if found guilty of the smuggling charges.
