Customs seizes P36.5 million produce, cigarettes

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) confiscated around P36.5 million worth of agricultural products, used clothing and counterfeit cigarettes that recently arrived at the Manila International Container Port (MICP), an official said yesterday.

BOC Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said the misdeclared goods were found in seven shipping containers that were declared to contain woven and non-woven interlining, industrial fur, fresh apples and household wares.

The containers actually held 947 cartons of More cigarettes, 53 cartons of Marvels cigarettes, 950 boxes of Mighty cigarettes, boxes of apples mixed with onions, apples mixed with fresh carrots and bales of used clothing mixed with food not covered by a Food and Drug Administration permit, he said.

The BOC will file charges and revoke the accreditation of the shipments’ consignees Trixcean Trading, Marid Industrial Marketing, Khalevskies Enterprises, Ashton & Ilyze Trading, and Yohann Rein Trading and their Customs brokers.