THE Bureau of Customs in Cebu confiscated nine vehicles, including SUVs, from a repair shop owned by a Korean national on suspicion that these were smuggled.
Jung Choi Myung, owner of Total Golden Motor Care at the North Reclamation Area in barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, didn’t resist the seizure, which took place in a raid of his shop around 3 p.m. last Thursday.
Jung, who remained in his office during the raid, told his employees to allow the Customs personnel to take what they wanted, according to shop supervisor Charlie Danes.
The seized vehicles—four Kia Sorrento units, two Hyundai Starex vans, a Hyundai Tucson, a Kia Retona and a Sangyong Korando—were later brought to the Cebu Customs District Office.
Enrico Mongaya, special agent of the Cebu Customs police, said the seizure was based on a warrant issued by Cebu Customs collector Ronnie Silvestre on Aug. 16 for violation of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.
Silvestre said they were still checking their records as to when the cars arrived in Cebu.
Danes said the vehicles were brought to the motor shop for repairs but did not know who owned them.
He said he could not remember when the vehicles arrived at the shop and that there were no records of who owned the vehicles./INQUIRER, with reports from Chito O. Aragon and Rhea Ruth V. Rosell