BOC confiscates P10-M Taiwan rice in Cebu

MANILA, Philippines - Stepping up its guard against smuggling, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) yesterday seized P10 million worth of illegally imported rice from Taiwan following an operation conducted by its intelligence division at the Port of Cebu.

The rice, found in 20 20-footer shipping containers, were consigned to two Mandaue-based rice importers, ARFG Trading and Cargo Facilities Services and JBD Trading.

The shipments were misdeclared as STC wall insulator labs to avoid the required rice import permit from the National Food Authority (NFA).

Also in Cebu yesterday, Customs authorities seized P100 million worth of counterfeit signature bags and wallets, P5 million worth of sugar, P800,000 worth of big bikes, and P200,000 worth of guns and ammunition.

BOC Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said the seizure should serve as a warning to traders who may be contemplating on illegally importing rice that the agency is not backing down in its fight against smuggling.

“We will strongly pursue our anti-smuggling program until it hurts smugglers the most,” Biazon said.

Curbing the illegal importation of rice is a top priority as President Aquino aims to make the Philippines a rice exporter by 2014.

As of last week, at least 38 suspicious and fictitious rice importers had been removed from the list of BOC’s accredited importers and brokers.

Biazon said the two consignees of the smuggled rice from Taiwan will be blacklisted and their owners and brokers will also be charged in court.

“We will never allow violators of the country’s Customs laws, particularly those involved in the illicit importation of rice to be left unpunished. We shall, as much as possible, apply the full force of the law, if only to protect the interest of local farmers,” Biazon said.

For his part, Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Danilo Lim said the seizure is the result of his unit’s enhanced monitoring and intelligence work to curb smuggling and to generate more revenues for the government. – Zinnia de la Peña, Mitchelle Palaubsanon/Freeman, Evelyn Macairan