Bureau of Customs seizes P10-M motor vehicles at Manila port
Among the motor vehicles intercepted at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) last week by the Bureau of Customs (BOC). Photo from BOC.
MANILA, Philippines — Twelve motor vehicles amounting to over P10 million were intercepted at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) last week, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) said on Sunday.
In a report, BOC said the seized items were contained in two shipments from the United States, which were subjected to X-ray imaging at MICP.
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The agency likewise revealed that its operation stemmed from an information it received that the shipments contained “misdeclared and undeclared items.” Although authorities seized the smuggled vehicles on June 5, the BOC revealed that the shipments arrived last month.
“The X-ray imaging on-site revealed that the shipments, which were declared to contain assorted car accessories and supply, actually have 12 motor vehicles inside,” BoC-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Services (CIIS) Director Verne Enciso said.
“That led to a request for an issuance of an alert order so the CIIS MICP can conduct a thorough 100% physical examination of the containers,” he added.
Among the car models inside the shipment were one unit of a 1996 Acura Integra, three units of a 1998 Honda Civic, one unit of a 1999 Honda Civic, four units of a 2000 Honda Civic, one unit of a 2002 Honda S2000, one unit of 2004 Honda S2000, and one unit of 2007 Mini Cooper S.
“The shipments containing the motor vehicles were consigned to Danesh Consumer Goods Trading from the United States,” the BoC said.
For his part, BoC Commissioner Bien Rubio pointed out that individuals behind the smuggling operation will face complaints for violating Section 1400 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
“The bureau will file the appropriate cases and make sure that these organizations will be held responsible. The BOC is not beating around the bush. We have an all-hands-on-deck approach, and we are ready to use all our resources—both technical and technology—to get to the bottom of these smuggling activities,” Rubio said./mr
