7 container vans with misdeclared items held in Cebu port

Cebu Daily News FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines–The Bureau of Customs here opened on Tuesday afternoon seven container vans with misdeclared items at the Cebu International Port container yard that arrived at the Cebu port on various dates.

Cebu Customs Collector Edward dela Cuesta said four of the container vans were found to contain vehicles declared as parts while three others contained used tires, declared only as tires; used clothing declared as rags; and barrels of industrial oil declared as general oil.

The seized vehicles included a BMW big motorcycle and Suzuki motorcycle from Australia; four motorcycles; right-hand-drive vehicles from Japan, including two ambulances; two Mitsubishi sedans with accessories; and one surplus Mazda Elf.

The BMW, which appeared to be brand new, and the Suzuki motorcycles had their handles and seats detached from the body, while the rest of the vehicles were disassembled into parts, Dela Cuesta said.

Dela Cuesta explained that the importation of right-hand vehicles, used tires and used clothing had been prohibited while the customs duties on industrial oil were higher than that imposed on general oil.

While the importation of motor vehicles is allowed, an importer has to present a certificate of first ownership for brand new vehicles or an authority to import for used vehicles.

Dela Cuesta said he had issued a warrant of seizure and detention on the container vans on Friday last week.

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon, who was present during the opening of the container vans, also inspected three of 312 container vans with smuggled rice shipment from Vietnam.

The 312 container vans, which contain 264,000 sacks of premium rice, will be auctioned off on August 7.

According to Biazon, the auction will go on as scheduled despite an ongoing investigation on the pilferage of more than 200 sacks of rice from some of the container vans.

He explained that the seized smuggled rice must be auctioned off before they expire.

Biazon said they have names of the persons suspected to have been involved in the pilferage.

However, the suspects’ names would not be revealed as they still have to undergo investigation, he added.

So far, Biazon said, the BOC in Cebu has confiscated 1,159 containers of smuggled rice.  With a report from Irene Sino-Cruz