BOC seizes P32M worth of misdeclared goods

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized P32 million worth of misdeclared goods as part of efforts to boost the government’s revenue collection through the strict enforcement of customs laws.

Customs Deputy Commissioner Horacio Suansing said the misdeclared and undervalued candies, outboard motors, motor oils, kilowatt hour meters, and equipment for setting-up an illegal drugs manufacturing laboratory were seized by operatives of the agency’s Enforcement Group (EG) at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

“In this regard and in compliance with the Commissioner’s order to generate more revenues, I have likewise ordered all EG personnel to exert due diligence in the performance of their jobs,” Suansing said.

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said importer Scan Marine Inc. tried to pass its container van loaded with four units of outboard motors and two kinds of motor oils as outboard motor parts worth P6.8 million but was issued an alert order upon the recommendation of the Operations and Intelligence Office of the Enforcement Group (OIO-EG).

Likewise, Extreme Five Trading Corp. also tried to pass its 2,520 cartons of various types of candies as food additives worth P1 million but were likewise intercepted and seized by operatives at the MICP.

On the other hand, Telsphere International Trading Corp. thought that it could do away with taxes by declaring its 257 units of kilowatt hour meters worth P4.4 million as vacuum heaters.

Operatives also seized the two container vans of equipment from China of W.A. Bitancor Enterprises worth P20 million consisting of chip condensers, pumps, a control panel, thermometer, fittings, boilers, reactors and valves among other gears for setting up a laboratory for manufacturing illegal drugs and substances.

“I have instructed all BOC frontline officials to scrutinize thoroughly all importation documents for any sign or indication of misdeclaration or undervaluation to ensure that appropriate taxes are collected by the government,” Biazon stressed.

The tax take of BOC climbed by 4.05 percent to P242.96 billion in the first 11 months of last year from P233.5 billion in the same period last year. The agency was supposed to collect P320 billion last year.