P10-M pest-infested onions seized

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) in two separate operations in Metro Manila confiscated some P10 million worth of contraband onions reportedly contaminated with pests allegedly smuggled into the country from China.

BOC Commissioner Napoleon Morales, accompanied by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, raided the two warehouses where the 10 40-footer reefer vans of red and white onions were temporarily stored.

“These confiscated items would be destroyed because they are not fit for human consumption. They were already found with some holes, possibly pests. You will be endangering Philippine agriculture if they are allowed to be released to the market,” Yap said.

Officials said they regard this as their biggest haul for the year.

Morales said he will issue suspension orders against the three BOC employees – including a principal appraiser, principal examiner and examiner – who allowed the shipment to slip out of Manila International Container Port (MICP).

They are also thinking of filing smuggling charges against the broker and other people responsible for the shipment.

“This is the first time that the consignee, Bagwa Trading, was linked to smuggling but they should suffer the consequences,” Morales said.

He added that people should be held accountable for this irregularity. The shipment should have passed through Section 1 of the MICP that is reserved for agricultural and meat products, but instead went through Section 9.

BOC Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Director Jairus Paguntalan said the smuggled vegetables did not pass the pest risk analysis and had not been issued a phyto-sanitary permit.

There is reportedly an overproduction of onion in China, where it is sold at almost 10 cents per kilo. Unscrupulous individuals are reportedly trying to discard the excess production by illegally shipping them to other countries such as the Philippines.

Paguntalan said the consignee placed the smuggled items in two storage houses. Morales ordered the issuance of a warrant of seizure and detention against the shipment.

The contents of four 40-footer containers were placed inside the Washington Cold Storage in San Rafael Village, Navotas, while the remaining six vans were stashed inside a warehouse in Gagalangin, Tondo.

The BOC raided the Navotas warehouse Wednesday and the Tondo warehouse early yesterday morning.

The onions “were classified as ‘household goods’ and we became suspicious why the items were placed inside reefer containers if they were only furniture and appliances,” Paguntalan said.