A shipment of smuggled counterfeit products with an estimated value of P17 million has been seized by agents of the Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
Acting on a tip, BOC’s Enforcement Group (EG) apprehended the contraband found in a container holding garments, cables, and shoes, but which turned out to also be loaded with bags, cell phone accessories, and branded watches that were misdeclared, undervalued, or imported without the required government permits.
The arrival of the shipment was brought to the attention of the bureau in January. Following the issuance of a warrant of seizure and detention, the operatives seized the contraband in February.
This and similar apprehensions in the three months from November 2016 to January of this year contributed a total of P53 million in additional duties and taxes due to the government.
The customs bureau said the anti-smuggling efforts of EG are being enhanced by x-ray machines set up in major ports of the country and intelligence information monitoring.
Among the other items seized by EG during this period were a Mercedes Benz 2012 model that was shipped without a permit from the Bureau of Import Services of the Department of Trade and Industry, P700,000 worth of assorted merchandise, and photocopiers valued at P1.6 million.
“The Bureau of Customs is committed to the Department of Finance’s thrust of fostering a fair playing field for legitimate importers of goods,” said director Isabelo Tibayan of the Enforcement Security Service.
“Through the bureau’s efforts, we are increasing our revenue collections that in turn support the government’s agenda for national development,” he added.
