THE Bureau of Customs on Friday seized P15-million worth of illegally imported firecrackers, pyrotechnic devices and P3-million worth of frozen meat.
Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said that the sub-standard firecrackers were declared as household goods and kitchen wares and loaded in five forty footer container vans together with another forty footer van of frozen meat. Both shipments arrived at the Port of Manila late October this year.
Biazon said that the firecrackers shipment came from China while the frozen meat came from Hong Kong, both consigned to Shamoroal Enterprises.
The bureau added that Shamoroal Enterprises had been previously involved in another attempt to smuggle onions into the country.
Biazon said that the recent seizures are results of the bureau’s intensified campaign to monitor the entry of illegally imported firecrackers to ensure the safety of New Year celebration as well as to stop the possible entry of contaminated meat from China.
“We would want the Filipinos to celebrate the holidays safely. This is the reason why I have instructed all customs front line operatives to be even more vigilant in their jobs, particularly in monitoring the entry of illegally imported firecrackers and frozen meat products from countries that may pose some health risks,” Biazon said.
“We have also practically streamlined the procedures in the issuance of Alert Orders to enable us to immediately act on suspicious cargoes entering the country before they can be spirited out of customs jurisdiction,” he added.
