Bureau f Customs (BOC) agents have impounded three container vans of smuggled yellow onions and used clothing worth P19 million.
The shipments, which arrived from China and were consigned to SB Express Logistics and Business Solution Inc., were placed under 100 percent physical examination on orders from Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz.
Based on the import documents, the shipments were declared as plastic buckets, ladies’ blouse, ladies’ slippers, dish plates, and cat litter. But examination showed that the vans contained sacks of yellow onions in between plastic bags of used clothing.
Amid the bureau’s intensified campaign against the smuggling of agricultural products, particularly onions, Commissioner Ruiz expressed his gratitude and commended his men behind each operation.
“The bureau has, so far, examined, detained, and seized hundreds of millions worth of shipments that contain agricultural products this month alone. If they think they can use the ukay-ukay to hide the onions, they are mistaken,” said Ruiz.
“We swore to protect the country’s borders from this kind of illegal activities. But much more than that, we are also trying to protect our people, many of whom are deeply affected—and have been crying out—against the prices of the most basic of our food products,” he added.
The Customs chief said a number of small business owners pay the right fees to bring ukay-ukay or used clothing products into the country legally, while unscrupulous groups bring in millions worth of them without going through the proper process.
The examination was conducted by Customs examiners led by COO III Jordan Apurillo, and witnessed by officials and representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc. (CCBI), and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service.
Aside from the containers included under this AO, seven other containers consigned to SB Express Logistics and Business Solution Inc. are currently on hold by the bureau for suspicion of undeclared and misdeclared onions.
Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Juvymax Uy shared that the success of the operation became possible because of the coordination between Customs and the Agriculture department.
“We processed the derogatory information received by the DA and shared with us. Based on these initial reports and investigation, we issued the AO shortly before Christmas. I thank all our hardworking team members for ensuring that we can complete the examination of the containers before the holidays kick in,” he said.
The bureau’s campaign against agricultural smuggling heightened following a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is also the country’s DA acting chief, to drive the country toward food security and improved agricultural conditions.