BOC seizes smuggled unregistered medicines from China

Unregistered medicine from China seized by Bureau of Customs. CUSTOMS PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Customs intensified its anti-smuggling operation at Ninoy Aquino International Airport after it seized 180 kilograms of medicine without the required clearance from Food and Drug Agency with an estimated worth of P700,000.

The illegal medicines, which were confiscated on Thursday, came from Xiamen in the Fujian province of China and were declared as “vitamin pills” that were then consigned to a male individual from Muntinlupa City.

“Upon physical examination of the goods, it was found that the shipment contained Chinese medicines which were illegally imported without the necessary License to Operate and Certificate of Product Registration from the Food and Drugs Administration” said the BOC in a statement.

The confiscated goods will be subjected to seizure and forfeiture procedures for violating Section 1400 (Misdeclaration) in relation to Section 117 (Regulated Goods) and Section 1113 (Property Subject to Seizure and Forfeiture) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

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The FDA released FDA Advisory No. 2020-767 on May 6, 2020 that warned the public against the purchase and use of unregistered Chinese medicines.

These operations were done amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

NAIA District Collector Carmelita Talusan said that the airport would continue to support BOC directive “to continuously guard the borders, remain vigilant against the entry of misdeclared goods and prevent attempts to use this COVID-19 pandemic to smuggle illegal goods into the country.”