70 firms removed from Customs’ list of accredited importers

Around 70 companies have been removed from the Bureau of Custom (BOC)’s list of accredited importers in the past six months for violating custom laws against smuggling, its commissioner said on Wednesday.

“In the past six months, we have already delisted around 70 companies,” Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon revealed in a press conference on Wednesday.

Faeldon said these companies were only from two of the 17 ports nationwide—the Port of Manila and the Manila International Container Terminal.

The commissioner said that five of these companies have filed their appeals.

“Those who have appealed, we will consider their appeal. We will be listening to them,” he said.

The BOC, along with the National Food Authority, has taken a tougher stance against smugglers of rice and agricultural products.

With the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, importers involved in smuggling activities will be slapped with higher penalties.

Faeldon said the bureau was eyeing to remove more suspected smugglers from their list of accredited importers.

“We're looking at thousands na importation companies,” Faeldon said.

“At the same time, we are reviewing the past six years to remove from our accredited importers those who have violated any custom laws or national law against smuggling…. We will also develop cases to be filed against those activities done by them that merits filing of criminal cases,” he added.

Faeldon warned that out of the 11,000 BOC-accredited importers, only 6,000 may remain.

Moreover, brokers who are involved in illicit importation may also be revoked of their license, Faeldon said.

“The brokers na paulit-ulit na nai-involve sa companies, we will submit your case to PRC (Professional Regulation Commission) and let the PRC determine if they will remove your license. We will be very strict,” he said.

Faeldon said they will be releasing a new list of delisted importers within the next few weeks.

“Within the week, we will be releasing another list of new violators from the other ports,” he said. —NB, GMA News