Raided Bulacan warehouses yield P1.9-B dried tobacco, fake goods

MANILA – P1.94 billion worth of dried tobacco, fake goods, used clothing, and others were discovered in a series of operations conducted by the Bureau of Customs' (BOC) Manila International Container Port – Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (MICP-CIIS) in several warehouses in Bulacan province this week.

According to Commissioner Bien Rubio, the subsequent operations in the warehouses in Guiguinto, Bulacan took three days to conduct, with support from the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

"Big operations like these take a lot of time and resources but as a testament to the enduring commitment of our officers, we were able to inspect many warehouses in three days and come up with a staggering amount of the smuggled goods being stored there," Rubio said in a statement on Saturday.

The inspection of the first warehouse on Nov. 6 yielded suspected smuggled used clothing, used shoes, intellectual property rights infringing goods, branded bags, toys, electric fans, wireless speakers, steel sheets, plastic resins, housewares, kitchenware, and other general merchandise items.

CIIS Director Verne Enciso estimated these discoveries to be worth P1.25 billion.

Another inspection on Nov. 8 resulted in the discovery of dried tobacco in sacks and cigarette filter rods that can make P694.4 million worth of 6,944 master cases of cigarettes.

"Initially, the warehouse was closed when the team returned on Nov. 8. There was also no representative to acknowledge the Letter of Authority (LOA). But with the barangay and compound representatives present, the team entered the warehouse and found raw materials to make tobacco," he said.

The BOC team temporarily padlocked the warehouses, while the inventory of the goods will be scheduled and is to be conducted by the assigned Customs examiners and witnessed by the CIIS, ESS, and storage representatives.

Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy said the warehouse owners and operators were given 15 days from the service of the LOA to submit documents to show that the goods were legitimately imported and that correct duties and taxes were duly paid under Section 224 of Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).

"An operation can only be truly successful if we are able to file and pursue cases against these individuals and organizations. For that to happen, we make sure to follow the proper rules and procedures, including the courtesy we extend to the owners of these goods to provide us proof that these did not enter the country illegally," he explained.

However, failure to present the proper documents will lead to charges for violating Section 117 (regulated importation and exportation) and Section 1400 (misdeclaration in goods declaration) in relation to Section 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of the CMTA.

They will also face charges under Republic Act (RA) 8293, or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, and RA 10963, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN Law).

The BOC will file cases against the owners of the smuggled dried tobacco products for violating the newly signed RA 12022 or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.

The law classifies as economic sabotage agricultural smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and engaging in a cartel. (PNA)