The Department of Agriculture in Quezon City (Photo from its website)
MANILA, Philippines — Some 100,000 kilograms or 100 metric tons of misdeclared white onions were seized at the Manila International Container Port, the Department of Agriculture said in a statement on Saturday.
The items were misdeclared as bread and pastries.
“During the probe, the team found out that the shipment containing sacks of yellow onions was misdeclared as ‘bread/pastries.’ The discrepancy in the import documents of said shipments presupposes that it did not undergo any food safety regulations,” the DA said.
The smuggled produce threatens the local agriculture and fishery industries since cargoes may be carriers of transboundary diseases, according to the statement.
The cargo is valued at P30 million.
The DA will submit a recommendation to the Bureau of Customs for the filing of an appropriate case.