Smuggled luxury cars to be crushed

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapena shows a 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo, which is among the luxury cars intercepted from container vans that originated from China, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.—EARVIN PERIAS

President Duterte on Thursday announced that he would order the destruction of the seized imported luxury cars at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday.

Mr. Duterte said he wanted the high-end vehicles crushed by road rollers to send a message to wealthy car enthusiasts who do not pay right import duties.

“You want imported cars? Pay import duties first,” Duterte said.

The President also assailed the practice of some importers to have the vehicles seized but buy them later at prices cheaper than paying taxes when they are auctioned off.

The BOC had already said that this time, seized luxury cars would be destroyed instead of putting them up for auction.

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña earlier said this would discourage unscrupulous importers from further bringing in smuggled vehicles.

Among those to be destroyed are such vehicles as Lamborghini and McLaren, which the BOC seized from the port of Manila in November.—FRINSTON LIM