Customs confiscates 15 shipping containers of onions from India, China

MANILA, Philippines - Operatives of the Bureau of Customs confiscated 15 shipping containers of onions from China and India, with an estimated value of P24.6 million that reportedly illegally entered the Manila International Container Port in a span of two months.

Bureau of Plant Industry director Joel Rodinas said that had the 15 units of 40-footer shipping containers entered the local market, it would have eaten up 10 to 12 percent of the monthly onion requirement of the country, to the detriment of local producers.

Rodinas added that had the contraband items succeeded in penetrating the local market, it would have been sold at P10 to P12 below the regular price, per kilo.

The first shipment consisting of four container vans, arrived May 26 from China on board the M/V Tabago Bay; the second shipment consisting of five container vans from India arrived on May 29 on board the M/V Lt. Trieste; the third shipment consisting of four container vans from China arrived on June 2 on board the M/V Dolphin Strait; and the last shipment consisting of two container vans from India arrived the next day on board M/V Resourceful.

BOC Commissioner Napoleon Morales said they were able to intercept the shipment after following the information relayed by one of their informants. “The importation of onions is considered as a regulated importation and it requires import permits. If there is no import permit then it would be considered as a contraband item,” said Morales. He added, “It is also the role of the Bureau to protect the local farmers and growers from unfair competition and the local consumers from possibly unsafe food products.”

The BOC chief said that at present they only have the names of the freight forwarders — United Container Line and United Overseas Container Lines Inc. “We would conduct an investigation to know who are the consignees in these shipments. We would cancel their accreditation with the Bureau.”

For his part, Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary Jesus Emmanuel Paras said that through these actions of government, they would be able to protect the interest of the local producers. By condemning or destroying the illegally imported onions, this would also serve as a lesson to smugglers.

He assured the public that there was no need to purchase onions from other countries because “we have enough supply” of the product.

Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service Intelligence Division chief Fernandino Tuason also attributed the success of their operation to thier close coordination with the Association of International Shipping Lines.