BUREAU of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, with District Collector Arnoldo Famor, spearheaded the inspection of 18 containers suspected to contain P77 million worth of misdeclared red and yellow onions on March 10 at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS-MICP) Field Office, headed by Chief Alvin Enciso, sought the physical examination of the subject shipments on the basis of derogatory information from China. The shipments are covered by several Bills of Lading and various goods declarations and are said to contain pizza dough and fishballs.

Acting on the said report, the BOC-MICP inspected the shipments and confirmed that the same contained misdeclared red and yellow onions, among others, in violation of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Department Circular No. 04 Series of 2016.

Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Juvymax Uy said the pizza doughs which were used to conceal the red and yellow onions were not covered by the requisite license and permit from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), violating Republic Act No. 9711 or the Foods and Drugs Act of 2009.

Consequently, District Collector Arnoldo Famor issued Warrants of Seizure and Detention (WSD) against the shipments for violating Section 1400 in relation to Section 117 of the Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), R.A. No. 9711 and the D.A. Department Circular No. 04 Series of 2016.

“The BOC shall continue to maximize its intelligence resources and capabilities and intensify enforcement measures against unscrupulous importers and their cohorts to combat smuggling attempts, especially those involving agricultural goods which are inimical to our local farmers and businesses,” says Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio.

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