BOC files two criminal cases before DOJ for violation of customs laws

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday said it has filed two criminal complaints before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for supposed violations of Philippine customs laws.

In an emailed statement, the BOC said the first case filed was against Ben Zachary Agricultural Trading for the alleged unlawful importation of nearly P1-million worth of agricultural goods.

The BOC said the firm imported some 1,992 bags of onions without the necessary import permit or clearances into the Port of Davao on April 2, 2021.

Ben Zachary was charged with one count of violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and guidelines of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on onion importation.

The second case was filed against employees of Happy Chef Inc. for the supposed unauthorized disarming of Electronic Customs Seals under the E-TRACC System.

The BOC said employees disarmed the seals contained at the Happy Chef warehouse on November 13, 2020, without an end trip authorization from the BOC, violating the CMTA.

The agency filed a total of 42 criminal cases against unscrupulous importers and customs brokers before the DOJ so far this year.

The BOC is mandated to assess and collect customs revenues from imported goods and exercise border control to prevent the entry of smuggled goods. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/KG, GMA News