BOC’s RATS campaign scores anew

The Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) Run After the Smugglers, or RATS, campaign has scored with the seizure of more than P100 million worth of smuggled goods.

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon flew to Davao City on Thursday to inspect a shipment of illegally imported luxury vehicles and float glass worth more than P28 million that were confiscated by the BOC’s Enforcement and Security Service and Police Division.

Seized at the Port of Davao were three vehicles—a Range Rover SUV, a Nissan 350Z and a Mini Cooper—consigned to the trading firm Ranths General Merchandise. The “hot cars” arrived from Long Beach, California, on Feb. 21.

At the same port, Biazon also checked out 20 container vans containing smuggled Chinese float glass, consigned to CSB Import and Export Containers.

Biazon warned smugglers to “stop your illegal trade as sooner or later the BOC will catch up with your illegal activities.”—Jerry E. Esplanada