Tovic Salvador

Smuggled agricultural products from China intercepted in Subic Port

Article (news)

Jervis Manahan

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- The Bureau of Customs intercepted 31 containers of smuggled onions, carrots, and frozen fish at the Port of Subic.Officials of the Department of Agriculture and the BOC inspected ten of the 31 shipments on Tuesday, which contain an estimated P100 million worth of smuggled agricultural goods. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said most of the shipments containing smuggled agricultural products are coming from one common source.&quot;China na naman, as usual, we really have to look out for Chinese shipments, especially from the Port of Xiamen,&quot; he said.The Port of Subic has yet to inspect the remaining containers but said it&#x27;s likely to contain the same products.&quot;Definitely it will turn out to be onions, carrots, and mackerel. For sure kasi magkakasama naman sa isang dating,&quot; said Noel Estanislao, Collector at the BOC Port of Subic.Estanislao said the shipments were misdeclared as chicken lollipops and chicken kaarage. The two consignees of the shipments will be blacklisted from importing by the Department of Agriculture, bringing the total of blacklisted companies to 20.Tiu Laurel said he has met with PNP Chief General Nicolas Torre and the new Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno to tighten measures against agricultural smuggling.&quot;This is already a national security matter, so nag-usap usap kami, dedicated ang lahat sa utos ng Pangulo na habulin talaga ang mga kumpanya na nahuli na, hopefully before the end of the year, may makikita tayo marami-raming nakaposas,&quot; Tiu Laurel said.(This is already a national security matter, so we talked and said we have to pursue cases against those proven to be involved in smuggling and hopefully by the end of the year, we shall see a lot of people behind bars.)&quot;This disrupts the trade, this destroys the lives of our farmers and fisherfolk, yung legitimate businessmen na gumagawa ng tama, apektado rin. It really affects the economy,&quot; he added.(Even the legitimate businessmen get affected, so it affects the economy.)So far, 20 companies have been blacklisted from importing agricultural goods, and the officials of these companies will be charged with violation of the Anti Agricultural Smuggling Law.&quot;Anything na pumasok na pagkain can be a biohazard, nandun ang national security angle,&quot; Tiu Laurel said.(Any food coming into the country illicitly can be a biohazard, and that is the national security angle.)Earlier this month, six container vans containing smuggled agricultural products were also intercepted at the Port of Manila.

Several containers of smuggled onions, carrots, and frozen fish have been intercepted by the Bureau of Customs at the Port of Subic.

Several containers of smuggled onions, carrots, and frozen fish have been intercepted by the Bureau of Customs at the Port of Subic.