More than P66mn worth of smuggled goods were intercepted by operatives of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapena said that the shipments were seized for misdeclaration and lack of required import permit, which include, among others, used clothing or “ukay-ukay” and beauty products.
Two of the seven containers belong to Skadi Trading. They contain cosmetic products imported from South Korea, and don’t have the necessary certificate of product registration from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).
The beauty products are estimated to be worth P50mn.
Two containers, consigned to Hepomlan Trading, came from China. They were seized for misdeclaration, lack of import permits, lack of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance, and for violating Intellectual Property Act of the Philippines. They are worth at least 8mn pesos.
Among the shipments seized were assorted smuggled merchandise like fake watches, perfume, cell phone batteries, garments, wallet, glass decors, LED lights, fake bags, calculator, Takoyaki maker, children’s scooter, animal medicine, and flour.
On June 21, another shipment owned by Hepomlan Trading was also seized after customs authorities found undeclared boxes of fake G-Shock watches. It was estimated to be worth 2.25mn pesos.
The remaining three containers were consigned to EPAD Freight Fowarders.
The shipments came from China. They entered through the informal entry division and were found to contain ukay-ukay and used shoes.
The used clothing and used shoes are approximately worth P8.4mn.
MICP Collector Vener Baguiran alerted authorities over a possible violation of Section 1400 of Customs Modernisation and Tariff Act (CMTA) and Republic Act 4653.
The BOC seized approximately more than P3bn in smuggled goods in the first half of 2018.
Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapena and other officials show to media smuggled shoes confiscated by the government at the Manila International container port.
