THE Bureau of Customs is open to imposing stiffer penalties for smuggling, BOC lawyer Roberto Bauzon said during a meeting of the Senate ways and means technical working group on proposed anti-smuggling bills. The bills propose the following stiffer sanctions: a fine ranging from P300,000 to P500,000 and imprisonment of six months to six years for goods worth less than P100,000; and a fine of P500,000 to P800,000 and imprisonment of six to 12 years for goods worth P100,000 to P1 million. Other bills propose a fine of P800,000 and imprisonment of 12 to 20 years for goods worth P1 million to P5 million, and a fine of P1 million to P2 million and life imprisonment for goods worth at least P5 million. The bills propose additional sanctions if the smuggler is an alien or a government official. Present penalties for smugglers are: a fine of P50 to P200 and imprisonment of five to 10 days for goods less than P25; a fine of P800 to P5,000 and imprisonment of six months to four years for goods worth P25 to P50,000; a fine of P6,000 to P8,000 and imprisonment of 5 to 8 years for goods worth P50,000 to P150,000; and a fine of P8,000 to P10,000 and imprisonment of 8 to 12 years for goods worth more than P150,000.
