BOC weeds out 71 erring brokers

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is now removing importers and brokers firms which violated the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) from its list of accredited importers and brokers.

First to go were 27 importers and brokers at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) and 44 at the Port of Manila.

Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon announced the delisting of the said firms in a press briefing on Friday at the BOC office at the Port of Manila.

“We have 11,000 accredited importers. Once we’re through cleaning this list, we might be left with just half of that number,” he told reporters.

The lists for the Port of Manila and MICP were distributed to the media, with the companies mostly based in Metro Manila.

With their removal from the list of accredited importers and brokers, the delisted firms are now effectively banned from transacting with the BOC, Faeldon said.

Aside from cleansing the list of erring companies, the BOC will also collect evidence against these firms for the possible filing of criminal cases against them for violating the CMTA.

A check of the list showed that the delisted importers and brokers had shipments which were seized due to various irregularities such as misdeclaration or underdeclaration of imported items.

The initial 71 delisted firms committed violations of the CMTA from July to December 2016.

Faeldon said they intended to further cleanse their accredited importers and brokers by sifting through all violations of customs and tariff laws for the past six years in all 17 ports and collection districts.

“On a weekly basis we would release new lists… We are publicizing their names because we want the public to know these erring firms,” he explained.

Faeldon, however,  maintained that what they are doing is not a shame campaign.

“We have to warn the public because these people are asking the public for importation activities. Overseas Filipino workers will use them for forwarding,” he said.

An importer or broker’s accreditation to transact with the BOC is valid for three years.

Those delisted  were notified of their current status and were given three days to submit their reply to the BOC to justify why they should still be given accreditation.

So far, only five firms operating at the Port of Manila have submitted their respective replies.