P25 M in smuggled goods seized in Tondo raid

MANILA—Agents of the Bureau of Customs on Friday seized P25 million worth of allegedly smuggled cigarettes and condiments during a raid on a warehouse in Tondo.

In a press release, Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon said the seized items were believed to have been illegally imported from China.

He said the owners or representatives of the storage facility failed to present proof of payment of duties and taxes on their importations.

According to him, the raid was conducted on the strength of a “Letter of Authority” he issued pursuant to Section 2536 of the Tariffs and Customs Code of the Philippines.

Among the items confiscated were several boxes of various brands of cigarettes, such as Marlboro, Winston and Fortune. The raiding team also found boxes containing food seasoning Knorr Sinigang Mix and Maggi Magic Sarap.

A delivery van parked outside the warehouse also yielded other allegedly smuggled goods, Biazon said.

“Among those we confiscated were basic kitchen commodities being used in almost every Filipino kitchen. Allowing these illegally imported commodities to reach the local market without its having certified as safe by concerned government agencies like the Food and Drugs Administration could pose health risks to the Filipinos,” Biazon said.

The kitchen condiments were concealed in boxes with different labels.

Biazon added that the bureau would investigate the people behind the smuggling and file the appropriate charges against them.