BOC seizes P21M worth of ‘ukay-ukay’ from South Korea

Published February 27, 2015 1:21pm

(Updated 3:18 p.m.) The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized over P21 million worth of smuggled imported used clothes – or ukay-ukay – from South Korea, the agency said in a statement Friday.

The seized products will be subject to further investigation whether they paid proper fees and taxes, Jay Crisostomo of the BOC Public Information and Assistance Division told GMA News Online.

"If the consignees will not claim these products, they will be up for condemnation as prescribed by the law," he said.

The BOC confiscated five container vans of used clothes that arrived from October to November 2014 at the Manila international Container Port (MICP).

Inspection by operatives of the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) of the Enforcement Group (EG) revealed the shipment contained undetermined number of bales of used clothing.

Two shipments were each declared as 290 packages of blankets while three shipments were each declared as 290 packages of blankets, bed sheets and caps.

Four container vans were consigned to PJK Expresser Door to Door Corp., SEC Bldg., Edsa, Greenhills, Mandaluyong, a bogus company and address.

The other container van was consigned to Arnel U. Figuerra of 501 East Tower PSC Center Exchange Rd., Ortigas, Pasig. Investigation showed the consignee was not connected with the business establishment actually occupying the address given in Ortigas.

BOC issued a warrant of seizure and detention on all shipments for violation of the Section 2503 (Undervaluation, Misclassification and Misdeclaration in Entry) of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines (TCCP) which is penalized under section 2530.

The importation of used clothing is also in violation of Republic Act 4653, prohibiting importation of used clothing and rags. — Danessa O. Rivera/RSJ, GMA News

Tags: bureauofcustoms, smuggling