Customs has no choice but to dump smuggled perishable goods

The Bureau of Customs said yesterday it has no choice but comply with government policies to dump perishable goods illegally shipped into the country.

Customs deputy commissioner for intelligence and enforcement group (IEG) Ray Allas said that the agency only implements policies based on other agencies’ orders.

He said the bureau should not be blamed for the spoilage of seized perishable goods at the piers as it only complies with policies to ban their entry to protect the local farmers.

Allas also said that there is a standing policy from the Department of Agriculture that shipments of vegetables should be seized at any port of entry and that they should not be released under any circumstances.

"To comply with the policy and instruction to prevent the entry and release of shipments of vegetables, the bureau unplugs the power that refrigerates the containers upon seizure which results to the spoilage of their contents," Allas said.

After they have been declared as unfit for human consumption by a concerned government agency, the bureau dumps the shipment of spoiled perishable goods in a landfill as in the case of the seized 40 container vans of vegetables from China, Allas added.

Allas said that this is that common practice observed by the bureau on all illegal shipments of foodstuffs such as frozen meat and fruits to prevent them from finding their way into the local market to the detriment of local producers and manufacturers.

The IEG chief was aware of the criticisms directed against the bureau for allowing said shipments to go to waste instead of donating them to charitable institutions. "The reason for this is because we cannot be sure that they would not be diverted to the local market," he added.

There are a big number of container vans of seized perishable goods at the piers.

Some of them are already unfit for human consumption and destined for the landfills, Allas also said.

Allas also stressed that unless the policies are changed which are designed to discourage importers and smugglers from shipping into the country banned goods, the bureau will continue implementing the policies.