BOC seizes 'illegally imported' Sharp TVs in upscale audiovisual stores

The Bureau of Customs on Friday said its operatives seized LED Sharp television sets being sold in an upscale audiovisual stores in Metro Manila after the outlets failed to present documents that show the proper taxes and duties were paid.

 

In a statement, the bureau said P1.5 million worth LED Sharp television sets were seized, including a 90-inch HDTV, the worlds largest LED Sharp television set worth P600,000, two 80-inch LED TV sets worth P300,000 each, and four 60-inch LED TV sets worth P85,000.00.

 

Those incharge of the outlets of Listening in Style in Shangri-La Plaza Mall and Eastwood were not able to prove that the taxes and duties of the Sharp products were paid when BOC operatives paid the stores a visit, said Customs commissioner Ruffy Biazon.

 

After repeated calls to the Listening in Style stores on Friday to get their reaction to the BOC  statement, GMA News Online was told that the people in charge were not yet in the office.

 

According to the bureau, Sharp Philippines director Silverio Montalbo on Dec. 18, 2012 asked the bureau to investigate the stores since company official who saw the some of the products on display seemed suspicious of having been illegally imported into the country. 

 

“Immediately, after receiving the letter from Sharp Philippines, I ordered the Bureau’s Group under Deputy Commissioner Danilo Lim to conduct the investigation and to undertake all appropriate actions” said Biazon.

 

After weeks of surveillance based on a letter of authority from Biazon’s office, Customs operatives last Jan. 17 seized the imported Sharp products on display at the Listening and Style stores.

 

“The Bureau of Customs will not limit its anti-smuggling operations to the ports, we will enforce our mandate to get smugglers and smuggled goods anywhere in the Philippines,” said Biazon. 

 

Claiming that the TV sets were sold to them by an overseas Filipino worker, the lawyer of Listening in Style made an offer to settle the issue out of court, the bureau said. — VS, GMA News