Biazon to inspect P4 million sugar shipment today

CEBU, Philippines - Bureau of Customs Commissioner Rufino “Ruffy” Biazon will inspect today the estimated P4 million worth of white sugar which was intercepted last November 22, 2012, while on its way out from the Cebu International Port.

The said shipment, suspected to be smuggled, was not allowed to leave the CIP after the joint team of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, BOC-X-ray Project and the Enforcement and Security Service found out that the shipment’s documents were fake and with forged signatures.

The said shipment came from Thailand onboard M/V Titan and was declared as marbles, granite products and eyeglasses.

The ten 20-footer container vans of imported (white) sugar apprehended by the BOC are reportedly consigned to two locators of the Mactan Export Processing Zone  Authority (MEPZA) in  Lapu-Lapu City.

Port of Cebu Customs District Collector Ronnie Silvestre immediately ordered the investigation to check why the shipments were released from the Cebu International Port.

Based on an incident report dated November 23, 2012 of the joint operations of the elements of the Enforcement Security Service (ESS) and the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) of BOC-Cebu Port, the first five container vans released were brought to the private warehouse of CPTC container yard in Zuellig Avenue, Mandaue City.

At around midnight of November 22, elements of the ESS held four container vans for questioning why the shipments have no X-ray Inspection Tickets attached to the Opascor withdrawal receipt.

The container vans numbered TCKU 3308831, TTNU 1521700, TTNU 1747112 and TTNU 3171957 are consigned to Muramoto Audio Visual Phils., Inc., with entry number 68715-12 and Mobilia Products Inc. with entry number 68755.

The shipments were held in front of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) and Customs Police exit gate.

In the morning of November 23, operatives of ESS and CIIS inspected the said container vans and found that they contained imported (white) sugar.

Of the released container vans at the CIP exit gate, two with numbers TCKU 1933927 and TCKU 2809823, are consigned to Muramoto with entry numbers 68715-12 and 68692-12, respectively, were subsequently recovered inside the CPTC container yard.

A request for overtime services was signed by a certain Tita D. Austria, a Customs broker.

The Customs operatives also withheld the trucking services of Denban, CPTC, JDR and JVT that loaded the container vans.

Silvestre issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) to all the shipments described as imported (white) sugar for violation of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.

Silvestre ordered Wharfinger chief Abdurajack Sandag, to submit a written report on the release of the container vans.

In his reply, Sandag reported that of the released container vans, two are consigned to Muramoto while five are consigned to Mobilia.

It was also discovered  that  the signatures reflected in the overtime requests, entries and withdrawal receipts submitted appeared to be not theirs.

Instead, Sandag also requested Silvestre to invite all persons involved to shed light on the matter.

Customs officials from Manila are set to arrive in Cebu today to view the contrabands while the Bureau is also set to investigate its personnel involved in releasing the containers without passing through the x-ray machines.  — (FREEMAN)