Bureau of Customs seizes mosquito coils

CEBU, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs-Cebu has intercepted two container vans loaded with mosquito coils from China worth P1.6 million after determining that the shipments lack the required papers.

Based on documents obtained by The FREEMAN, the container vans, which arrived on March 15 and on March 22, respectively, were consigned to Stargaze Enterprises located on Tudtud Street, Mabolo, Cebu City.

The shipments were apprehended last Friday after an alert order was issued by Captain Jerry Arrizabal, BOC-Cebu Customs Police Division district commander.

The two shipments do not have a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) issued by the Food and Drugs Administration here.

One of the container vans was inspected last week and it showed 2,150 cartons of mosquito coils with “Jaguar’ as brand name.

BOC Port of Cebu District Collector Roberto Almaden said a warrant of seizure and detention was not yet issued against the shipments as the other container van still has to be subjected to an inspection.

Earlier, Cebu-based Green Coil Industries Inc., through its general manager Ramon Dakay, requested the FDA Center for Cosmetic Research to investigate a chain of stores operating in Cebu, Davao, Cagayan and in Metro Manila for allegedly selling mosquito coils without submitting samples and product registration.

Submission of samples is required so the FDA could determine if the product is not toxic or harmful to use.

In his letter to Dr. Kenneth Go of FDA, Dakay said that such act is so unfair to a legitimate mosquito coil manufacturer like him, who went through all the legal processes of obtaining a CPR before they can sell their products in the market.

FDA, in its Advisory No. 2013-031, warned the public against buying unregistered toxic households insecticides (aerosols cans, mosquito coils, and body sprays) that are proliferating in the market.

“Buying unregistered insecticide products is dangerous to health since the active ingredient is unknown and may cause harm to consumers,” read the advisory.

It further said that the FDA Inspectorate is now taking regulatory actions to ensure that the concerned products are removed from the market.

It also called on the BOC to remain vigilant in preventing the entry of toxic substances in the country.

FDA is likewise requesting local government units to ensure that unregistered toxic insecticide products are confiscated and kept away from consumers.  (FREEMAN)