NASA P150 milyong halaga ng agricultural products ang nadiskubre ng mga awtoridad matapos na salakayin ng pinagsanib na puwersa ng Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP), at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ang may 24 na bodega sa Metro Manila.
Ipinatupad ng mga awtoridad ang Letters of Authority (LOAs) na ipinalabas ni Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio sa 24 warehouses at storage facilities na pinaniniwalaang pinag- iimbakan ng smuggled agricultural products gaya ng bawang at sibuyas.
Nadiskubre ang smuggled agricultural products sa serye ng surprise inspection sa may 24 warehouses sa Metro Manila na sinimulan noong Biyernes ng nakalipas na Linggo.
Matapos na opisyal na manungkulan sa Aduana si Rubio, ipinag-utos nitong paigtingin ang pagtugaygay at paghuli sa mga sangkot sa agricultural smuggling.
“We will be relentless in the fight against agricultural smuggling. Rest assured that the BOC is steadfast in patrolling our borders and protecting our local farmers against illicit traders of agricultural products,” pahayag pa ni Commissioner Rubio.
Nabatid na karamihan sa sinalakay na bodega ay nasa Tondo, Manila habang may isang bodega naman sa Malabon City at Binondo nadiskubre ang tone- toneladang fresh onions, fresh garlic, at iba pang agricultural products.
Agad na sinara, kinandado at sinelyuhan ang mga bodega at storage areas na kinakitaan ng smuggled products.
“Corresponding seizure and forfeiture proceedings will be conducted against the subject shipments for violation of Sec. 1400 (misdeclaration in goods declaration) in relation to Sec. 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of Republic Act No. 10863 known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and Republic Act 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016,” ani Deputy Comm Juvymax Uy.
Habang ang mga case records ay ipapasa naman sa Bureau’s Action Team Against Smugglers (BATAS) para sa paghahain ng kaukulang kaso laban sa mga responsible sa sa illegal importation. VERLIN RUIZ