The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and National Food Authority (NFA) seized a total of 12,000 bags of suspected smuggled rice worth an estimated P9 million at the Port of Zamboanga.
NFA administrator Renan Dalisay said that on July 28, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) invited NFA to a meeting concerning a request for a berthing permit by the consignee of a rice shipment allegedly coming from General Santos City.
During the meeting, the consignee could not present a shipping permit, only an application for such.
The consignee was identified as Habib Ummar Sahipa Hashim/Munib A. Sabiran of Jolo, Sulu and the shipper, SAFI Grains Development Corp of Glamang, Polomolok, South Cotabato.
The total number of bags of rice declared was 20,000; the actual number turned out to be 12,000, with each bag weighing 25 kilograms.
On July 29, PPA issued a notice of violation to the consignee.
A joint inspection led by BOC Intelligence Group deputy commissioner Jessie Dellosa was then conducted by operatives from the PPA, NFA, BOC, and Office of the Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization.
The suspected smuggled rice is now in the custody of BOC.
