Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led an inspection on Monday of nearly 18 container vans suspected of containing tons of frozen fish, which were declared by importers as processed plant-based commodities.
A spot check conducted by the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on two of the 19 40-foot container vans revealed boxes of frozen mackerels—locally known as “tamban” and frozen round scad, locally known as galunggong, instead of the frozen fried taro sticks, sweet potato balls and assorted food products from China, as stated in the shipping manifest.
Based on the assessment of the BOC, the total assessed value of the 19-container shipment is P202 million.
BPI director Gerald Glenn Panganiban said his agency previously alerted the BOC about the shipments, which were declared to contain 550 metric tons of frozen taro sticks, sweet potato balls and various other frozen food items.
However, the spot check on two of the container vans consigned to Straradava Household Products Co. Ltd. uncovered that the cargo actually contained mackerel, violating importation regulations.
The shipment arrived at Manila’s South Harbor on Jan. 21, 2025.
Some of the remaining 17 container vans, which are yet to be inspected, were consigned to Fendee Consumer Goods Trading, a company sharing the same Binondo address as Straradava.
While processed plant-based foods fall under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within the Department of Health, imported fish and marine products are regulated by the DA’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
Tiu Laurel lauded the vigilance of BPI personnel stationed at Manila’s ports, highlighting their attention to detail and their critical role in uncovering this violation of the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, which imposes stricter penalties for smugglers and offenders.
He also issued a stern warning to unscrupulous businesses, assuring that the DA and its bureaus are closely monitoring such activities.