P20-M worth of smuggled goods seized

Some P20 million worth of smuggled goods was confiscated by operatives of the Bureau of Customs in a series of anti-smuggling operations in Port Area, Manila.

Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo ordered Deputy Commissioner Ray Allas, chief of the Customs Intelligence and Enforcement Group, to conduct a thorough investigation and file appropriate charges against the people behind the foiled smuggling activities.

In a report to Bernardo, Allas said the accomplishment was the product of week-long surveillance and intelligence operations.

"Unscrupulous individuals misdeclared their products with smaller values to avoid proper payment of duties and taxes, which is in violation of the tariff code," Allas said in a statement.

In two shipments, Allas said some P5 million worth of meat products, mushrooms, chili and bamboo shoot products were on two 20-foot container vans consigned to Coyulee Trading Corp. and Uptrend Trading from China. The products were initially declared as asparagus and black vinegar, products with lower tariffs than meat products. –Cecille Suerte Felipe and Jerry Botial