BOC files smuggling complaint vs broker, trading company execs

MANILA, Philippines -The Bureau of Customs on Thursday filed a smuggling complaint against a broker and five officials of a trading company for illegally shipping into the country P7-million worth of smuggled rice from Taiwan and Vietnam.

Facing a complaint for violation of the Tariffs and Customs Code of the Philippines (TCCP) before the Department of Justice are Little Giant Trading Company owner Renato D. Nale together with his broker Steve S. Semblant, All System Logistics, Inc. officers led by its Chairman of the Board Mary Lou T. Estrada, its Chief Executive Officer Antonio G. Estrada, corporate Secretary Humphrey D. Tumaneng, treasurer Ana Myrna Gonzales and director Anthony Dexer C. Yu.

On May 17, 2013, the BOC caught Little Giant and its broker allegedly trying to smuggle into the country four forty-footer container vans of rice worth P5 million from Taiwan at the Sub-Port of Mindanao Container Terminal. The BOC said it was misdeclared as prefabricated house.

On the other hand, All Systems Logistics Inc. was likewise slapped with a smuggling complaint for illegally bringing into the country two 20-footer container vans of rice from Vietnam worth P2-million without the required import permit from the National Food Authority last March 15, 2013.