THE Bureau of Customs has been ordered to file charges against persons and companies linked to smuggling of counterfeit cigarettes and apparels worth more than P2 billion.
The BoC received the order after Customs operatives seized over P2 billion worth of smuggled and counterfeit tobacco products, including cigarette brands that contained fake tax stamps, in raids in Pampanga and the cities of General Santos and Zamboanga in Mindanao.
In the letter, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III urged the BoC and the BIR to file appropriate charges against persons involved in the illegal activities in court if the evidence warranted.
“I urge the BIR and BoC to file the charges,” Dominguez said.
He also wants government officials in cahoots with the erring entities included in the charge sheets if they were found to have been involved in these tax evasion bids.
Both the BoC and BIR should speed up their investigations and also look into the possible involvement of bureaucrats acting as protectors of these large-scale tax evasion attempts,” Dominguez said.
Customs Commissioner Nocanor Faeldon said the BOC raided two buildings in Pasay City and seized some P200 million worth of assorted clothing apparel with brand names “Adidas,” “Nike,” “Armour All,” “Vans,” “Lacoste,” “Jag,” “Wrangler,” “Under Armour,” “Superman,” and “NBA.”
The BOC also uncovered an attempt to smuggle out of the country three live Monitor Lizards, discovered hidden in the casing of a computer’s CPU when it passed thru X-Ray at the FedEx Cargo Warehouse at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The sender, a Dennis Sarmiento of Cebu City, is facing charges of violating Republic Act No. 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
The consignee for the cargo was listed as a certain Kabren Jhason of California, according to the BOC.
Faeldon said the most recent raid conducted by Customs operatives on the morning of March 1 at the San Simon Industrial Park in Pampanga on five warehouses yielded some P1.98 billion worth of counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes.
