14 smuggled cars seized

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) yesterday seized 14 suspected smuggled second-hand cars in Cagayan de Oro with an estimated value of P5.5 million.

In a statement, BOC Commissioner Angelito Alvarez said among the contraband seized were six units of right-hand-drive (RHD) Honda Fit, five units of Starex, one unit of Sorento and another Korean-made van.

The vehicles were reportedly misdeclared as used industrial equipment parts and used truck replacement parts to avoid paying the correct taxes.

BOC-Port of Cagayan de Oro district collector Lawyer Anju Castigador said the second-hand Honda cars that arrived on board M/V Montenegro from Taiwan were consigned to JV & A Enterprises while the Korean-made vans, which were offloaded from an M/V Montenegro shipping vessel, was consigned to Tesca Trading. Both companies are based in Cagayan de Oro City.

Alvarez said yesterday’s seizure was the second major blow in the last six weeks to hit the ranks of smugglers’ operating at the Mindanao International Container Terminal (MICT) in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. MICT is a sub-port of the Port of Cagayan de Oro.

Last June 6, the BOC’s Enforcement Group headed by Deputy Commissioner Horacio Suansing and Customs Director for Enforcement Nestorio Gualberto presented to the media eight confiscated high-end vehicles which included two Mercedez Benzes, a Dodge Dorango and a Ford Explorer.

Four containers of premium white rice, misdeclared by Deoden Enterprises as fish meal from Taiwan were also seized early this year at the MICT, based on derogatory findings reported by the bureau’s x-ray inspection project.