BUREAU of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno ordered the immediate seizure and condemnation of an assortment of frozen meat, poultry and fish products valued at more than ₱178 million that were abandoned at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) to protect public health and safety.
Commissioner Nepomuceno was seen leading the inspection of the contaminated products loaded into 22 reefer (refrigerated) vans at the MICP together with MICP District Collector Felipe Geofrey De Vera and other top Customs officials last April 14.
The reefer vans originated from various countries but the consignee, whose identity was not disclosed, failed to process its release on time leading to its being declared as “abandoned” under Customs laws.
The inspection supports the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen border protection and ensure food safety, particularly in preventing the entry and distribution of potentially harmful agricultural products imported into the country.
The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) earlier confirmed that the shipment’s quality has been “compromised” based on its initial inspection.
Following a thorough inspection and assessment, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) under the Department of Agriculture (DA), issued Notices of Violation (NOV) for non-compliance with the Food Safety Act and related regulations governing the importation of meat and meat products.
The inspection revealed that the reefer vans contained beef, pork, chicken, and fish with a total estimated net weight of 576.911 tons of which 16 came from Brazil, 2 from The Netherlands, and one container vans each from the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Australia.
In line with bureau policy, the shipment shall undergo proper disposal through dumping while the unnamed importer would be charged in court, the BOC said.
From 2025 to date, the BOC has filed a total of 72 criminal cases before the Department of Justice (DOJ), 24 of which involve the smuggling of agricultural products.