BOC files raps vs own personnel, importer, over misdeclared shipment

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday filed criminal complaints against some of its officers and personnel as well as a licensed customs broker over the illegal shipment of thousands of sacks of onions and carrots misdeclared as chicken lollipops

BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno led the filing of six criminal complaints before the Department of Justice against Berches Consumer Goods Trading, the importer which is also a licensed customs broker, and customs officials and staff for the illegal shipment of 15,029 sacks of fresh white onions and 2,164 boxes of fresh carrots.

The smuggled goods, declared as poultry products, arrived in June last year without getting regulatory clearance.

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Customs officers also discovered that the illegal shipments, declared as poultry products, were also not covered by phytosanitary import clearance from the Bureau of Plant Industry.

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This, Nepomuceno said, is in violation of multiple provisions of Customs Modernization and Tariff Act due to the false declaration of shipments and importation of agricultural products that had not secured clearance.

“Whether it is an importer, a broker, or a customs employee—if there is sufficient evidence, we will take the appropriate action and subject them to the proper process,” Nepomuceno said.

The BOC officials and employees allegedly involved in the smuggling are facing a complaint for violation of Section 1431(c) (e) and (f) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act for their “willful neglect of duties” and for “negligently or designedly permitting another person to violate the law.”

The BOC’s custom intelligence and investigation service also recommended the filing of an administrative case against officers and employees allegedly involved. /gsg