Even ginger being smuggled into RP

MANILA, Philippines – Even ginger is now being smuggled into the country from China.

Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales yesterday ordered intelligence operatives of the bureau to be on the lookout for alleged moves by unscrupulous importers to smuggle ginger into the country.

There are reports that shipments of ginger, which were not supported by import permits, are now being illegally sold in markets in Divisoria, Binondo and Tondo.

“If they do not have import permits from the concerned government agencies, they will immediately be considered as contraband and will be subject to seizure. If the merchandise does not have the required documents, we will file charges against the importer and the broker under the Run After the Smugglers Program (RATS). That is the standard operating procedure,” Morales said.

It was reported that farmers from Nueva Vizcaya and traders from Metro Manila have sent letters to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, asking him to address the problem.

The oversupply of ginger in the metropolis would adversely affect the income of local farmers.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) could invoke their visitorial powers so that Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) can check on facilities that ginger farmers have identified to be selling or storing the illegally imported goods.

The BOC’s Intelligence and Enforcement Group (IEG) under Deputy Commissioner Celso Templo yesterday seized the contents of two container vans that were declared as pears, but upon inspection, they discovered that these contained P5-million worth of ginger and mushrooms.

The shipments arrived on board the vessels Ocean Park and OOCL Achievement last April 20 and 21 at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

According to Templo, alert orders were issued for the shipments, whose consignee Pacific Eagle Enterprises has business address in Escolta, Manila, for failure to secure required clearance from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).