Cebu cargo with assault rifle parts seized

CEBU CITY—The Bureau of Customs in Cebu yesterday seized a shipment from California that was declared to be household items but yielded assault rifle parts and bullets.

Ronnie C. Silvestre, Cebu customs district collector, said he had issued a warrant of seizure and detention for the 40-foot container van shipped into Cebu early this month.

Silvestre said he had directed the shipment’s seizure after it yielded parts and accessories of M-14 and M-16 rifles and six dismantled motorcycles.

The shipment, worth about P3.5 million, arrived at the Cebu International Port on Nov. 3 onboard the Cebu Trader, a vessel of the NYK Line. It was scheduled for release on Nov. 10.

Declared as household goods, the shipment was consigned to Renato R. Ramos of 1513 J. Rizal St., Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City, which turned out to be fictitious.