Government agents from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized P10.5 million worth of smuggled fuel and storage tanks from the V Fuel Gasoline Station and Compound in Abucay, Bataan after a failed fuel marking test on Wednesday, Jan. 31.
The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) initiated the operation with the help of the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) and the National Bureau of Investigation-Anti Organized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-AOTCD).
Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio signed and issued the Letter of Authority (LOA) for the operation. “Our team did a phenomenal job in seizing these smuggled fuels and ensuring such unsafe products will not harm consumers,” he said.
“Operations like these will not only hopefully keep our borders safer, but it will also keep dangerous products out of our communities, and deny these organizations from the revenue they would otherwise get,” Rubio added.
The operation was conducted at the V Fuel gasoline station and compound along Roman Super Highway, Barangay Mabatang in Abucay, Bataan after the LOA was acknowledged.
CIIS Director Verne Enciso said the team inspected 2,587 liters of diesel fuel, 3,134 liters of unleaded gasoline, and 5,342 liters of premium gasoline.
“Our agents also entered the compound where they found 3,100 liters of the unmarked fuels stored in four IBC tanks. These were later confirmed by the failed fuel mark test conducted by SGS Mobile Laboratory – Limay and the ESS Fuel Marking Team,” he explained.
The fuels that failed the fuel marking test were brought to the SGS Subic for confirmatory testing.
The gasoline station owner is required to present proof of payment of duties and taxes for the imported fuels, even though the fuels found in the gasoline station passed the fuel marking test conducted by SGS Mobile Laboratory-Subic and ESS Fuel Marking Team.
The team temporarily placed yellow lines, padlocks, and seals on the seized fuels.
The Philippine Army was engaged to secure the area after the inventory and inspection were conducted by the Customs examiners in coordination with the Port of Limay. Witnesses include CIIS-MICP and ESS agents as well as the warehouse representative.
If the gasoline station and compound owners are found without proper documents and necessary permits, they could face charges in violation of Sections 1401 and 1430 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), Sections 148-A, 254, and 265-A of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), as amended by the TRAIN Law.