The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has filed criminal charges against six individuals involved in smuggling various items and contraband worth a total of P46.42 million.
Filed before the Department of Justice on March 8 was a case against Agustin Esguerra, owner of Pulilan Motors Truck Rebuilding Center, and his customs broker Tomas James Y. Delos Santos, who were charged with misdeclaring the importation of a Bentley Continental GT car and a used Hino truck.
Another case involves fake Rolex watches that were found in the possession of Gianmarco Macaluso when he arrived at Clark International Airport from Singapore on February 5, 2018.
Also charged were importers Jeffrey Samson and Edgar Valencia and their customs broker Jenilie Gacutan for allegedly importing 913 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (locally known as shabu), which were misdeclared as baby clothes, and for bringing in another 2,092 grams of shabu misdeclared as “8 Sauce.”
Cases were also filed against Marcelino Rotea and Mario Jamoroa for declaring their packages as used shirts and “1 Pasta Sauce,” respectively. The packages were discovered to actually contain 3.165 kilograms of marijuana in six plastic packs.
Customs commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero in a statement said BOC is doing its best to curb the entry of illegal drugs and other contraband into the Philippines.
“We have tightened our watch for illegal drugs and other contrabands at the country’s various ports of entry, coupled with our strengthened coordination with other enforcement agencies such as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Philippine National Police,” Guerrero said.
“To tightly secure our borders, I have instructed all frontline customs personnel to be doubly vigilant for attempts to smuggle drugs and other contrabands through the Bureau of Customs,” he added.
“There will be no stopping us. We will be relentless. There will never be an end to our battle against evil doers most specially those who want to taint our youth with the vermin of dangerous drugs,” Guerrero stressed.
