THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) decided to seize imported red onions from China after the importer abandoned the shipment and failed to settle its tax obligations to the government.
Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno was joined by Senator Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan, representatives from the Department of Agriculture (DA)), Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement (DCE) Nolasco Bathan and Manila International Container Port (MICP) District Collector Geoffrey De Vera during the public presentation of the abandoned shipment loaded into 26 container vans last June 10.
The BOC placed the value of the shipment at ₱86.7 million, consisting of 72,215 bags with a manifested gross weight of 650,00 kilograms.
The unnamed consignee has an import permit from the DA but failed to settle the taxes and duties amounting to more than ₱9.643 million, the agency statement said.
The seizure stemmed from the verification conducted by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP), with the DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) which advised that the integrity and quality of the goods may already deteriorate and not fit for human consumption.
With the advice, the BOC said the shipment would not be released to the local market to protect consumers and domestic producers as the harvesting season for local onions has also started.
“We will continue to act on all reports involving suspicious, unclaimed, or abandoned shipments, lalo na ang mga agricultural products na maaaring makaapekto sa ating mga magsasaka, konsyumer, at lehitimong negosyante.
“Mananatiling matatag ang BOC sa pagpapatupad ng batas nang may transparency at accountability,” Commissioner Nepomuceno said.