6 cases filed at DOJ for smuggling of luxury car, fake watches, drugs

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has filed six criminal cases before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against several individuals who allegedly smuggled goods and illegal drugs into the country totaling to P46.4 million.

In a statement on Thursday, BOC said that one case stemmed from an alleged smuggling of a Bentley Continental GT car unit and a used Hino truck.

The said case involved Agustin Esguerra, owner of consignee Pulilan Motors Truck Rebuilding Center and his licensed Customs broker Tomas James delos Santos, according to BOC.

Another case involved the shipment of fake Rolex watches from Singapore, which arrived at the Clark International Airport on February 5, 2018, BOC said.

The fake watches were found in the possession of a certain Gianmarco Macaluso, it added.

BOC further said it filed a case against importers Jeffrey Samson and Edgar Valencia and their broker Jenilie Gacutan over alleged importation of illegal drugs.

The three allegedly imported 914 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or “shabu,” which was declared as baby clothes, while another 2,092 grams were declared as “8 Sauce.”

Another case involved an importation declared as used shirts but turned out to be six plastic packs of marijuana, weighing 3.165 kilograms. According to BOC, the packages were consigned to a certain Marcelino Rotea.

BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said they have “tightened” their “watch for illegal drugs and other contrabands at the country’s various ports of entry.”

This, he noted, is “coupled with our strengthened coordination with other enforcement agencies such as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Philippine National Police.”

“To tightly secure our borders, I have instructed all frontline customs personnel to be doubly vigilant for attempts to smuggle drugs and other contrabands through the Bureau of Customs,” he added.

The BOC chief further warned that the agency will be “relentless” in its “battle against evil doers most specially those who want to taint our youth with the vermin of dangerous drugs.” /kga