P24.7M worth of smuggled garlic, rice seized in Misamis Oriental

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized up to P24.7 million worth of garlic and rice at the Mindanao International Container Terminal (MICT) in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, it said Tuesday.

The two commodities were supposedly imported by two different firms both based in Cagayan de Oro City, the bureau said in an emailed statement.

Kenshien General Merchandise was the reported consignee of about 145,000 kilograms of garlic last August. The company allegedly did not pay enough import taxes, the statement said.

Gold Friends Enterprises, meanwhile, allegedly brought in 200,000 kilograms of malagkit rice last month, supposedly without the required import permit by the National Food Authority and misdeclaring the goods as "household ware."

The BOC said it will investigate the owners and customs brokers of the two companies.

The two firms are being eyed for violations of provisions of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines and RA 7178 (Agricultural Tariffication Act), the statement added. — Raffy Cabristante/BM, GMA News