Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 21) – A hundred criminal cases have already been filed this year against importers and customs brokers allegedly involved in agricultural smuggling, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported on Wednesday.
“As of Dec. 14, nakapag-file ng 100 criminal charges ang Customs Action Team sa Department of Justice sa mga sangkot sa agricultural smuggling at paglabag sa customs rules and regulations at health and safe standards,” BOC spokesperson and operations chief Arnaldo dela Torre Jr. said in a Laging Handa briefing.
[Translation: As of Dec. 14, the Customs Action Team already filed 100 criminal charges at the Department of Justice involving agricultural smuggling and violations of the customs rules and regulations and health and safety standards.]
At least 21 other customs brokers are also facing administrative cases, according to Torre.
He added that smuggled agricultural goods – which were intercepted from January to the present – have an estimated value of ₱1.205 billion.
Authorities earlier seized 100,000 kilograms of smuggled yellow onions worth ₱30 million.
READ: ₱30M worth of ‘smuggled’ onions seized – DA
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/12/3/DA-seize-30-million-smuggled-onions.html
Torre said majority of the vegetable shipments they seized – particularly onions – came from China.
