Customs seizes P231 million smuggled sugar, rice

MANILA, Philippines — Customs operatives yesterday swooped down on two warehouses in Caloocan and found thousands of suspected smuggled sacks of sugar and rice amounting to P231 million.

The BOC-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port led the operation that took place around 3:30 p.m. yesterday in a compound.

Discovered inside the warehouses were 66,000 sacks of rice and 13,000 sacks of sugar.

An initial report said the sacks of rice and sugar were imported from Thailand and Vietnam.

Authorities were armed with a letter of authority issued by acting Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz when they raided the two warehouses.

The Enforcement and Security Service and intelligence agents of the Armed Forces of the Philippines assisted Customs agents during the raid.