Smuggled goods seized at NAIA

Customs operatives seized yesterday some P9.5 million worth of regulated drugs and P19.5 million worth of smuggled electronic items in separate raids conducted at the Customs warehouses at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Fernandino Tuazon, chief of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service at the NAIA, said in a report to Acting Customs Commissioner Renato Ampil that the seized goods were about to be spirited out from the warehouses.

NAIA Customs District Collector Celso Templo said the contraband seized in a raid at the Philippine Skylander warehouse consisted of a big volume of tranquilizers and antibiotics as well as helicopter spare parts and ready to wear clothing.

The first seizure of smuggled goods was made at the Paircargo warehouse. Tuazon said that the apprehended goods consisted of the latest model of Motorola two-way radio transceivers and battery chargers, computer hardware equipment and compact discs.

Templo withheld the identities of the consignees pending completion of an investigation and the filing of criminal charges against them.

There were some 20 consignees involved in the two smuggling attempts.

The two Customs officials also disclosed that another shipment which was under investigation belonged to certain influential persons. The goods, they added, had been misdeclared and undervalued.

Meanwhile, two suspected Yakuza Gang members were barred yesterday from entering the country after one of them made hand signs rediculing an immigration agent who was questioning him.

Susuki Katsundri, 31, apparently resented NAIA immigration agent Rudy David's questioning of their reason for coming to Manila and shouted invectives on the immigration officer.

Katsundri realized he had committed a blunder when on recommendation of David, he and his companion, Kno Nagayama, 41, were deported. --