Scanners help BOC thwart smugglers

MANILA, Philippines - The acquisition of state-of-the-art container x-ray scanners has enabled the Bureau of Customs to detect and foil the smuggling of some P17-billion worth of banned, regulated and misdeclared shipments, the agency’s X-Ray Inspection Project said in its accomplishment report to Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon.

Among the big-ticket seizures made possible by BOC’s 30 x-ray machines during the last five years were firearms and ammunitions, raw materials for the manufacture of explosives, illegal drugs, precursor chemicals being used in the narcotics trade, agricultural products and motor vehicles.

In her five-year accomplishment report to Biazon, lawyer Lourdes Mangaoang, head of the agency’s X-ray Inspection Project, said the unit she headed from December 2007 to mid-January this year exceeded expectations in five key result areas: deterrence of smuggling; revenue generation; trade facilitation; border protection and security; and, defense of local industries.

The P17-billion worth of seized goods far exceeded the cost of the x-ray machines at P7.8 billion.

“Efficient scanning of shipments made possible the detection of the correct value and quantity of imports,” Mangaoang said.

Aside from boosting the government’s campaign against terrorism and illegal drugs, the 78-man X-IP Team also prevented

the entry of shipments that could result in an outbreak of diseases such as ducks and pigeons from countries with a long history of avian flu epidemic.

Furthermore, Mangaoang said the x-ray scanners also prohibited goods that violate international patents and intellectual property rights.