MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs has seized 20 containers full of allegedly smuggled rice worth an estimated P32 million as the government’s revenue agencies step up efforts to shore up the national coffers amid a ballooning budget deficit.
Also, the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Oplan Kandado expanded its nationwide coverage as enforcement agents served last week a temporary closure order on an outlet store in Catbalogan, Samar, that understates its monthly sales by at least 90 percent.
The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) apprehended the shipments of glutinous rice at the Manila International Container Port in May.
The cargo of high-quality grains arrived in two batches from Bangkok aboard the vessel Maersk Buffalo, which the CIIS closely monitored because rice is a “high risk,” regulated good.
