PASG seizes P100-M ‘hot’  electronic goods

The Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) seized more than P100 million worth of smuggled electronic products during a raid on a warehouse owned by two Indian nationals in Taguig City Saturday.

Superintendent Johnny Bacbac of the PASG Intelligence Division led the raid after his unit received reports that the warehouse of Pan Vin Trading Corp., located inside the FTI Complex, held smuggled electronic products.

The owners of the warehouse – identified as Dev Daryani and Bob Asnani – told authorities that the shipment was legal but failed to show any import documents or receipts to prove that they paid the proper taxes for the shipment, a PASG official said.

A PASG official said the warehouse had been raided by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) but nothing came out of the operation. This could not be confirmed.

The PASG padlocked the warehouse and seized refrigerators, televisions, microwaves, digital video disc players, stereos, transistor radios, speakers and other electronic items, all made in China.

The PASG is now preparing to charge Daryani and Asnani for violating the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines before the Department of Justice.

PASG chief Antonio Villar directed PASG director for operations and NBI Deputy Director Edmund Arugay to conduct a thorough investigation of how the shipment passed through Customs officers at the South Harbor in Manila.

Villar said he also received reports that two Customs officials at the South Harbor reportedly let smuggled shipments through for P15,000 per container van.