MANILA - The Bureau of Customs seized several kilos of misdeclared frozen galunggong at a cold storage facility in Parañaque City Wednesday.
On Friday, December 4, the seized products were presented.
According to the Customs investigation, the contents of the container van from China were found to be frozen squid, and had a consignee named Hightower Incorporated.
But when Customs inspected it, it was found to have a load of between 40,000 and 45,000 kilograms.
According to BOC Assisstant Commissioner Vincent Philip Maronilla with the help of the electronic tracking of containerized Cargo (ETRACC) GPS Seal they installed on container vans heading to their storage facility was identified as misdeclaration.
He said the drivers tried to break the GPS seal and alarmed their central office, causing Customs personnel to respond.
The container drivers are now in the custody of the Customs police for investigation while Hightower Incorporated is also being investigated.
Customs warns that its perpetrators may be charged with violating section 1400 “Misdeclaration, Misclassification, Undervaluation in Goods Declaration” in relation to Section 1113, “Property subject to seizure and forfeiture” of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
- Report by Raya Capulong, ABS-CBN News