BOC files smuggling charges vs importer

MANILA, Philippines –  The Bureau of Customs (BOC) filed yesterday before the Department of Justice smuggling charges against an importer whose company accepted payments in exchange for serving as a front by smugglers.

The BOC’s Run After the Smugglers (RATS) group filed the complaint against Ma. Juliza Santi Josue, proprietor of Coreline International Trading, a company which holds office in Novaliches, Quezon City.

Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez said that from October 2009 to July 2010, Josue’s company imported various products with a dutiable amount of P203.14 million. However, the amount assessed by Customs amounted to only P50.076 million worth of duties and taxes.

Alvarez said BOC investigators found out that Josue’s importations were either grossly undervalued or declared as something else.

Customs Deputy Commissioner Gregorio Chavez, concurrently the executive director of the RATS Group disclosed that Josue’s company was involved in the importation of highly taxable goods ranging from electronic gadgets to textile apparel.

“The entity was clearly used for the purpose of securing customs accreditation for the benefit of unscrupulous big-time financiers who hire the services of dummies in their smuggling activities,” Chavez said.

Furthermore, Alvarez said the RATS team was able to secure documents showing that Coreline International did not have other officers and employees. It also did not have even a single warehouse where its multi-billion imported goods could have been stored or kept.

Chavez said that with Josue’s failure to prove her financial capability to engage in a multi billion-peso import operation, it is logical to conclude that Josue’s company acted as a front for smugglers.

Aside from Josue, Alvarez said the agency would also be identifying BOC officers and employees who connived with Josue.

Alvarez also ordered the accreditation group of BOC to continue the validation process for importers and delist from the ranks the bogus companies and for the group to continue the exchanges of information with the BIR and conduct joint audits on high-risk big time importers.