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By Anthony Vargas, Reporter
COMBINED operatives from the Bureau of Customs (BoC)
and the Philippine Coast Guard have foiled an alleged smuggling
attempt of imported rice and sugar into the country during the
Lenten Break, authorities said Saturday.
At least 18 container vans loaded with imported
rice and sugar were intercepted and seized by customs and coastguard
personnel at the North Harbor of the Manila Internal Container Port
(MICP) last Wednesday.
BoC Commissioner, Napoleon Morales declared the
shipments as illegal after X-Ray machines revealed that the vans
contained undocumented imported commodities. Documents said the vans
contained local corn grains.
The shipments were intercepted after the Coast
Guard alerted the BoC as early as March 15 that 18 container vans
were loaded aboard a Sulpicio Line vessel in Davao bound for Manila.
The Coast Guard said that the container vans
were loaded with imported items slipped into the country through the
illegal backdoor routes.
Verification made by Customs officials said the
shipments are consigned to a certain Felix Balo of Navotas City, and
the hot goods were shipped by Peoples Milling and Agri Supply from
General Santos City.
MICP Collector Adelina Molina issued a Warrant
Seizure Detention for the said shipment based on the recommendation
made by North Harbor Collector Nelson Ulalo following x-ray scanning
of the vans .
Combined customs and coastguard personnel
immediately seized the cargo upon arrival at the Manila North Harbor
and required the consignee to submit the vans for x-ray scanning.
When scanned and inspected, 11 container vans
yielded imported sugar.
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