BOC seizes P42M worth of smuggled rice in Zamboanga City

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Friday that its operatives in the Port of Zamboanga seized P42 million worth of rice, equivalent to 42,180 sacks, following a raid on a warehouse in Zamboanga City.

In a statement, the Customs said BOC-Port of Zamboanga issued an Order of Forfeiture, on September 1 against the subject sacks of rice for violation of Section 1113 (f) in relation to Section 117 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act of 2016, the Rice Tariffication Law, and the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.

"The forfeited goods shall be disposed of in a manner provided for by law," the BOC said.

The forfeited sacks of rice were seized following an inspection of a warehouse in Barangay San Jose Gusu after receiving information that there was smuggled rice.

Inventory of the subject warehouse revealed 42,180 sacks of Alas Jasmine Fragrant Rice, according to the BOC.

"Thereafter, the owner’s representative submitted import documents purportedly covering the subject imported sacks of rice pursuant to Section 224 of Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the CMTA," it said.

However, upon verification of the documents submitted and investigation, the BOC concluded that the confiscated goods were not covered by the requisite Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) from the Bureau of Plant Industry.

The BOC added that there were discrepancies between the actual seized goods and what was declared in the documents presented. 

"The proofs of payment submitted referred to a shipment of ‘White Rice 15% Broken,’ while based on the actual examination, the seized sacks of rice were Jasmine Fragrant Rice," the agency said.  —VBL, GMA Integrated News