2 charged in garlic smuggling

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Thursday filed smuggling charges against a Cagayan de Oro trading firm and its Bulacan-based broker for illegally importing from Hong Kong some P30 million worth of garlic, whose soaring prices have made it a golden commodity.

Charged with illegal importation were We have right to criticize DAP, owner and proprietor of Good Earth Merchandise in Cagayan de Oro, and her broker, Antonio Castro, for allegedly smuggling into the country P30 million worth of garlic misdeclared as “chocolate raw materials.”

Apart from import violations under the Tariff and Customs Code, the two were also charged with violating Presidential Decree 1433, which promulgated the Plant Quarantine Law of 1978, a measure that protects the country’s agricultural industries “from injurious plant pests and diseases existing in foreign countries,” among others.

The BoC said Salise and Castro had connived to illegally ship from Hong Kong to the Batangas port 101 metric tons of garlic packed in four 40-foot containers last June 1 and June 10. The garlic bulbs were packed in 10 kg bags.

The bureau said the shipment lacked the proper documents.

“These were declared as raw materials for chocolate. As the garlic was misdeclared, the shipment had no phytosanitary clearance as mandated by the Department of Agriculture for imported agricultural products, and both the importer and broker neither declared nor paid the correct duties and taxes for the shipments,” said the bureau.

Using current market prices, the BOC pegged the garlic shipment’s worth at P30 million.

It said the container vans “will undergo forfeiture proceedings” and the smuggled garlic will be sold in the local market to help stabilize the price of the commodity.

The BOC quoted President Aquino as saying that if the seized garlic is cleared of phytosanitary threats, they could be sold in the local market.

Garlic prices in the country increased by 213 percent in the first quarter of year, the BOC said, citing estimates of the agriculture department. The retail price of garlic has risen from between P60 to P90 per kilo to between P200 and P400 per kilo.

In a Senate inquiry last week, Sen. Cynthia Villar, the chair of the committee on agriculture and food, directed the officials concerned to go after traders involved in manipulating garlic prices.

Last week, the BOC filed smuggling charges against officials of two import firms for the illegal importation of Australian steel products and counterfeit footwear with an estimated value of P120 million.

Accused of violating the Tariff and Customs Code were Jose Alingasa Jr., the owner of the Binondo-based Titan Movers Enterprises, and customs broker Mon Carlo Inciong.

Titan Movers allegedly misdeclared the shipment of specialized steel products from Australia as ordinary steel coils. It also failed to get the required commodity importation clearance.

Smuggling charges were also filed against Ma. Rosalinda Quiambao, the owner of Fort Jhorel International Trading, which is also based in Binondo, and broker Henry Villa.

The company is alleged to have illegally imported footwear that were counterfeits of known brands like Nike, Havaianas, Abercrombie, Hush Puppies and Happy Feet, among others, contained in three 40-ft container vans. The items were misdeclared as eye glasses and paper products. With Jerry E. Esplanada