This time, red onions from China won’t make local traders cry.
Government agents seized P10 million worth of red onions hidden in a shipment of ice cream from China.
The shipment was impounded before it could flood the market, deprive the government of revenue and dampen prices of local farmers, according to authorities.
The shipment consigned to E. Austero Merchandising was intercepted by members of the Manila International Container Port – Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service ) on Monday.
MICP-CIIS chief Alvin Enciso said they immediately requested the issuance of an alert order after receiving “derogatory information” about the two containers from China.
“When we received information like this, we take action immediately because time is of the essence here. We want to see and examine the shipments as soon as the containers arrive so we know what requests we need to make to further investigate the shipments,” said Enciso.
The shipment was also placed under 100 percent physical examination which was witnessed by the CIIS, personnel from the bureau’s Enforcement and Security Service, and MICP district collector Romeo Allan Rosales.
The examiners then discovered the red onions concealed in ice cream containers.
Based on import documents, the owner described the shipment containing 204 cartons of Aice Chocolate Crispy Vanilla and Milk-Coated with Two Layers of Chocolate, 167 cartons of Aice Chocolate Cup, 213 cartons of Aice Chocolate-Iced Milk with Chocolate Milk-Flavored Ice Cream Stick with Chocolate, and other varieties.
Enciso said the boxes labeled as ice cream sticks were placed on the threshold of the container to conceal the presence of the red onions inside. He added some of the red onions were also hidden inside the boxes of the ice cream.
Rosales issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention against the shipment for violating number Section 1113 under Section 1400 of Republic Act 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Enciso said aside from the misdeclaration of the shipment, the consignee also had no r permits from the Bureau of Plants and Industry (BPI) as required for him to bring such food items into the country.
Customs officials said the bureau is committed to prevent the entry of illegal agricultural goods, especially those that are meant for human consumption and do not have the necessary permits, to ensure public safety.
Aside from the bureau’s anti-smuggling drive, Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero also wants to prioritize food security in the country by stopping the importation of illegal food items.
“When you are trying to stop illegal smuggling, there is no small or big item. Everything that enters our ports—from cars, medicines to onions—must follow the proper procedure. You cannot stop smuggling if you are going to exempt what others might think are simple, harmless items,” Guerrero said.
Local farmers claimed that illegal importation of agricultural produce has been a bane to the local industry for years.