BOC files smuggling complaint against steel traders

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Thursday filed a smuggling complaint against two traders and brokers for the illegal importation of steel products worth P3.98 million in 2013 and 2014.

Named in the complaint were Thunder Birds Trading owner Shine Montes, Sagfern International Trading owner Judy Fernandez and customs brokers Arnel Asuncion and Shiela Larrochea. It is the first complaint filed under new Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina.

“There was a very clear intent to cheat the government given the huge discrepancies in what they declared and what we found after examining their shipment,” Lina said.

“Steel is one of the top imports in the country and we want to level the playing field for the local steel manufacturers by stopping the entry of illegal steel products in the country,” he added.

Iron and steel are one of the top five commodity imports of the country in 2014 with more than  six billion kilograms imported.

Montes, Fernandez, Asuncion and Larrochea were slapped with violation of Section 3602 in relation to Section 2503 of the Tariff and Customs Code and Article 172 in relation to Articles 171 and 183 of the Revised Penal Code for attempting to smuggle four container vans of steel products with a total dutiable value of P3.22 million and duties and taxes amounting to P755,642.

Based on the complaint, Thunder Birds declared the content of three container vans as steel sheets, clamp and  flexible hinges but upon inspection discovered to contain corrugated steel sheets.

The ship arrived in January last year in the Port of Manila from China.

The complaint added that Thunder Birds also “grossly misdeclared” the shipment as to its value and weight to evade the payment of correct taxes.

“Thunder Birds initially declared the corrugated steel sheets as weighing only 8,546 kilograms with a dutiable value of only P223,457.24 but was found out to actually weigh 75,300 kilograms with a total dutiable value of P2.427 million,” the BOC said.

On the other hand, Sagfern illegally imported a 20-foot container van of steel sheets in coil on December 2013 from China but “misdeclared” the content as gypsum boards.

“As for Sagfern International, the shipment was also grossly undervalued with a declared dutiable value of P233,016 versus the actual dutiable value of P798,580.91,” the bureau said. RC