The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized around P13 million worth of illegally imported sugar at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
BOC enforcement officials on June 16 seized around 270,000 kilos of Thailand-produced refined sugar stored in eight 40-foot container vans misdeclared as school bags, school supplies, and toys, among others.
The shipments were consigned to Real Top Enterprises from Binondo, Manila and arrived at the MICP from Hong Kong last May.
Last month, a trailer truck containing a 40-foot container van of smuggled sugar also consigned to Real Top Enterprises was intercepted by Task Force Pantalan, a special task force aimed at eradicating port congestion, then turned over to the BOC. The seizure alerted Customs officials to check on the consignee’s other shipments at the MICP.
The BOC Enforcement Group issued alert orders on May 20 so that spot checking could be made on the containers.
“A spot check examination on the shipments showed that contrary to its declared content as reflected in the Cargo Foreign Manifest and Bill of Lading, the container vans each contained hundreds of sacks of refined sugar,” Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina said.
The BOC chief added that the shipments were also undocumented as no import entry declaration was filed by the consignee. The address given by Real Top Enterprises was also fictitious.
“Smugglers never learn their lesson. But the Bureau of Customs will not stop teaching them a lesson. We are seriously pursuing the government’s anti-smuggling drive; if smugglers continue to disregard our warnings we will go after them with the full force of the law,” Lina pointed out.
Aside from seizure and forfeiture proceedings on the sugar shipment, BOC will conduct further investigation to determine culpability for smuggling of Real Top Enterprises owners and customs brokers.
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