The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday, March 26, filed charges against two importing companies and two customs brokers “for gross undervaluation of imports and large-scale agricultural smuggling,” according to a statement released by the agency.

The first complaint filed by the Bureau’s Action Team Against Smugglers (BATAS) before the Department of Justice (DoJ) accused Subic-based vehicle retailer Granstar Premiere Sports Corporation (GPSC), its owner Fabian A. Go, and customs broker Norinel O. Quezana of smuggling 112 brand new Vespa scooters last Jan. 22, 2014.

According to the press statement, “the declared value of the shipments plus duties and taxes amount to only P3,647,770, but based on the value provided by the Import Assessment Service (IAS), the actual dutiable value of the shipments plus duties and taxes amount to P28,297,167.46.”

Meanwhile, the second complaint was charged against Manila-based importer Seven Myth Marketing (SMM), its owner Leoncio Victor S. Mangubat, and customs broker Mary Faith D. Miro for misdeclaring 15 containers of rice as ceramic tiles last Dec. 7, 2017.

According to the statement, the two shipments from China only had one container of the declared ceramic tiles while the rest “(contained) 7,150 sacks of 50 kilograms Sinandomeng Aguila and Sinandomeng Mayon rice with estimated duties and taxes of P10,013,503,50.”

“Since the value of the shipments is over Ten Million Pesos (P10,000,000.00), the consignee and the broker were likewise charged for the economic sabotage for large-scale agricultural smuggling under R.A. 10845 or the CMTA,” Customs sa

“We will make sure that importers and brokers blatantly violating Customs rules and regulations will face legal action and revocation of Customs accreditation,” said Mr. Lapeña. He added:

“I have given BATAS Executive Director Yasser Ismail Abbass strict instructions to go hard on smugglers and intensify the filing of cases against the, big or small.” — Dane Angelo M. Enerio