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Friday, March 29, 2024

Eight face probe on P6.4-b shabu smuggling case

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The preliminary investigation on the P6.4-billion drug shipment from China started Friday, with the Department of Justice filing cases against eight individuals.

In the complaint filed by the Bureau of Customs for violations of Republic Act 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act) and Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act) it identified the respondents as Hongfei Logistics Group of Companies chairman Chen Ju Long (alias Richard Tan or Richard Chen), detained businessman Dong Yi Shen alias Kenneth Dong, Eirene May Tatad, owner of EMT Trading, consignee of the drug shipment, and Taiwanese nationals Chen Min and Jhu Ming Jyun.

Also facing charges are customs fixer Mark Ruben Taguba, customs broker Teejay Marcellana, businessman Li Guang Feng alias Manny Li, and unidentified individuals whom the BoC believed to have been involved in the shabu shipment.

“The subject shipment was willfully, knowingly and unlawfully imported into the country through the use of false/falsified/spurious Inward Foreign Manifests and Bill of Lading by falsely making it appear that the subject shipment has the proper importation documents and clearances, for the purpose of intentionally concealing its actual contents, but the truth was the shipment is composed of prohibited articles whose importation is expressly prohibited by pertinent laws,” the complaint said.

Dong, Li and Tatad appeared at the hearing called by Assistant State Prosecutor Charlie Guhit to receive copies of the complaint filed by the BoC Action Team Against Smugglers Group on September 15.

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Taguba and Marcellana, meanwhile, were represented by their counsel.

Guhit set the filing of counter affidavits for Nov. 20.

The drug shipment was discovered on May 26 when the BOC and the NBI raided Chen’s Hongfei Logistics warehouse in Valenzuela City based on a tip from Chinese authorities.

The bust compelled the Senate and the House of Representatives to conduct separate inquiries, which prompted then-Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon to resign amid allegations he pocketed grease money while in office.

Separate criminal complaints were also filed by the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency against several personalities linked to the smuggling mess, including Faeldon himself.

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