Smuggled frozen goods confiscated at Manila International Container Port

MANILA, Philippines - Operatives of the Bureau of Customs confiscated eight 40-footer container vans of allegedly smuggled frozen meat products and onions, with a collective estimated value of P32.6 million, at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

BOC Commissioner Napoleon Morales said in a statement that their personnel spotted 50 tons of frozen boneless beef from Australia, 29,000 kilos of frozen chicken from the United States and 118.39 metric tons of fresh onion from India.

Morales said that the P19.63 million worth of frozen boneless beef was consigned to Natasha Food Corp., who reportedly failed to present the appropriate Veterinary Quarantine Clearance, a document needed in importation. The P5.88 million Tender Choice Brand frozen chicken was consigned to Tet and Pal Meatshop showed an expired VQC.

Customs Intelligence Chief Florentino Tuason said that while they would secure the approval and recommendation of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on the best method on how to dispose the meat products, they are also toying with the idea of having the contraband items auctioned off.

“We are looking into the possibility of auctioning these (frozen beef and chicken products) off since the containers have remained plugged and the quality of meat was uncompromised. They also came from USA and Australia and not from China or other banned countries of origin for meat and meat products,” said Tuason.

However, the decision to auction these products would depend if the cargoes are still fit for human consumption and if they would be allowed to sell them. Auctions also prove beneficial to the BOC, since it is a way for them to recover their revenue losses.

“The safety of our consumers comes first,” Morales said.

As for the fresh onions, he said the four containers arrived sometime late January from Mumbai, India. The items were seized upon discovering that the shipments were not covered by any Plant Quarantine Clearance (PQC). The last batch of PQC issued by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) expired on Dec. 31 last year.

The consignee, Candlestick Trading Inc. has issued a letter to the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service denying ownership of the shipment.

Since the plug of the refrigerated container vans have already been removed, the onions’ condition have deteriorated and would soon be disposed of, through destruction.

Morales ordered Legal Service Director Simplicio Domingo to thoroughly investigate the cases and file appropriate charges against the importers of the shipment.