Reyes orders crackdown on big-time smugglers

Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes has ordered a nationwide crackdown against big-time smugglers whose activities are costing the government an estimated P54 billion a year in lost revenues.

Reyes, who is also the chief of the National Anti-Smuggling Task Force (NASTF), issued the order after crack anti-smuggling agents seized more than 500 smuggled cellphones from a container van during operations last week.

Authorities are now looking for a Mr. Tulane, an Indian national tagged by the driver of the van as the owner of the smuggled items. Tulane has been in the NASTF watch list for reportedly using the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as the transshipment point for his smuggling activities.

At the Port of Manila, the NASTF intercepted a container van full of plastic products believed misdeclared to avoid the payment of duties and taxes.

Reyes said the truck driver and his helper failed to show import documents for the shipment and claimed the papers are with a broker known only as Teves.

"Rest assured that administrative and criminal charges will be initiated and pursued by the NASTF and Bureau of Customs (BOC) once the identity of the person involved in this illegal activity has been fully established," he said.

Reyes said the NASTF and BOC are working together in the renewed drive against smuggling.

"The NASTF and BOC are hell-bent on stopping the operations of big-time smugglers in the country," he said.