Ferraris, Porsches among P900M worth of cars seized in Taguig

The Bureau of Customs’ Intelligence and Investigation Service has confiscated 44 allegedly smuggled luxury cars worth P900 million from a warehouse in Taguig.

Customs Commissioner Bien Rubio said the latest operation that yielded Ferraris, Porsches, Maseratis, and Rolls Royces has brought to billions of pesos the value of the confiscated smuggled autos.

“The BOC’s intelligence unit has always been on heightened alert against smuggling operations but I still have to commend this string of operations that led to already billions worth of smuggled luxury cars that these unscrupulous individuals, organizations, and underground businesses have carried to our shores,” Rubio said.

CIIS director Verne Enciso said the cars were found at the car shop on Levi Mariano Avenue in Barangay Ususan.

Enciso said this was the third raid conducted by the CIIS on auto shops in Metro Manila, which are supposedly selling luxury vehicles. The others were located in the cities of Parañaque, Pasay, and Makati.

He added that CIIS-Manila International Container Port agents went to the seller’s address to serve a Letter of Authority (LOA) to the shop owner or representative.

“They have a variety of high-end luxury cars—some are really high-end like the McLaren but they also have mid-tier cars. We seem to have a market for these, so some of these businesses and groups have realized the opportunity to profit from the interest these cars generate,” Enciso said.

Enciso disclosed that the team found two units of Ferrari 488, two units of Mercedes Benz C Class, and one unit each of the following: McLaren 720S, Rolls Royce Cullinan, Maserati Levante, Lamborghini Huracan, BMW M3, Dodge RAM, Ferrari 488, Ford Everest, Ford Mustang, GMC Yukon Denali, Honda Civic SIR, Honda S2000, BMW M2, Land Rover, Land Rover Range Rover Autobiography, Lexus LBX, Lexus LX570, BMW I4, Mazda Miata, Audi A1, Mercedes Benz AMG SLK, Mercedes Benz G Wagon Brabus, Mercedes Benz G63, Mercedes Benz GLE450, Mitsubishi Lancer, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Porsche 997 Carrera, Porsche 993 Turbo, Porsche 911 Turbo, Porsche Cayenne, Porsche Cayman, Porsche GT3, Porsche GT3 RS, Porsche GT3 Touring, Porsche Turbo, Toyota Seqouia, Toyota Corolla, Cross, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, Toyota Land Cruiser VX.R.

The BOC said the owners, lessees, lessors, occupants, representatives, or any parties responsible for the warehouses were already given 15 days from the receipt of the LOAs to submit the necessary documents proving that duties and taxes were paid correctly.

If found without proper documents, they may face charges in violation of Sections 1400, and 1401 in relation to Section 1113 of Republic Act 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA). –NB, GMA Integrated News