Some P1.35 million worth of iPhone 7 Plus units were seized by customs authorities from a foreign passenger who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.
NAIA customs personnel stopped Su Miaoquiao, a Chinese passenger on board Xiamen Airlines Flight MF 819, after his baggage showed image irregularity during an x-ray examination.
The customs examiner, who conducted the check in the presence of customs appraisers and an x-ray inspector from BOC Xray Inspection Project (XIP), found 30 units of undeclared iPhone 7 Plus model #A1660 after conducting 100% physical examination.
“The importation of smartphones is considered legal if the importer declared it as taxable items and can present the proper National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) import permit to the customs authorities,” Maj. Jaybee Raul Cometa, XIP head, said.
“However, Miaoquiao violated Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and the NTC regulation after failing to declare the Apple smartphones and failing to present the corresponding permit,” he added
Arsenia Ilagan, the Deputy Collector for Passenger Services, recommended a warrant of seizure and detention to NAIA District Collector Edgar Macabeo for violation of a National Telecommunications Commission memorandum circular and the customs law.
The mobile units are now at the In-Bond Room at Terminal 1 while the investigation is still pending.
