6 charged over P300M worth of smuggled goods

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Customs on Thursday filed with the Department of Justice a criminal complaint against five officials of a Manila-based trading company and a customs broker for allegedly smuggling P300 million worth of items.

Charged with violation of the Tariffs and Customs Code, Intellectual Property Code and Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs and Falsification were IMAX Harbor International Trading Corps president and chairman of the Board Doroteo Montalbo, board of directors Rochelle S. Posadas, Jose Dizon, Rafael Lactao, Elaine Wee and IMAX’s licensed customs broker Roger Permejo.

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said IMAX attempted to slip into the country two 40-footer container vans filled with P300 million peso worth of counterfeit bags, medicines, mobile phones, mobile phone batteries, chargers and wristwatches on September, 2011.

“Smuggling of counterfeit goods is very damaging to the country’s economy, not only in terms of foregone duties and taxes, but also because of its impact on the local business and labor,” Biazon said.

“Every illegally imported counterfeit bag that is able to enter the local market could be one locally manufactured bag left unsold.  And for every unsold locally manufactured bag could be a loss of labor man hours,” he added.