P78.9M smuggled agricultural products seized at Manila Port
AT least P78.9 million worth of illegally imported agricultural goods have been confiscated during separate operations at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) from December 2022 to January 2023.
James Layug, Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary for Inspectorate and Enforcement (DA I&E), said that the series of operations were conducted as part of their intensified measures against agricultural smuggling.
The operations were coordinated with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
Following tip-offs, the team busted three container vans from a consignee with smuggled fresh red and white onions amounting to P25.3 million on Dec. 27, 2022.
The second operation, which was conducted on Jan. 3, 2023, five containers from two consignees yielded P27.8 million worth of contrabands – specifically fresh red and white onions, frozen pork stomach pouch cuts, and frozen boneless beef shanks.
Meanwhile, P23.58 million worth of illegally imported red onions were also discovered in three container vans from another consignee during the Jan. 4, 2023 operation and aborted the unauthorized entry of about P2.2 million worth of fresh carrots found from the same consignee’s container (January 5.)
Layug confirmed that intelligence operations for shipments under the three consignees are ongoing.
The DA is set to take legal charges against the illegal importers for violating the Food Safety Act of 2013 (Republic Act No. 10611) and the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 (Republic Act No. 10845).
According to the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, large-scale agricultural smuggling occurs when at least P10 million worth of rice or at least P1 million worth of sugar, corn, pork, poultry, garlic, onion, carrots, fish, and cruciferous vegetables—either raw, processed, or preserved—is illegally brought into the country.
