SBMA bans Customs brokers in foiled liquor smuggling

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) blacklisted three Customs brokers linked to the attempted to smuggle R40 million worth of liquor.

According to SBMA Chairperson Wilma Eisma, the blacklisting of these three Customs brokers is the initial action of the agency.

The smuggling attempt was discovered on Christmas Eve, where two vehicles were seized after transporting the expensive contrabands.

Eisma identified th blacklisted brokers as Ellen Baylon, an authorized representative of the brokerage firm Alava Alliance, Inc.; John Louie Pabico, a processor of Phil-Hohan International Corp. and Cherry Springael, a freelance processor and authorized representative of Alava Alliance.

“These persons have been banned from doing business with the SBMA Seaport, and the companies they represented have been placed on indefinite suspension pending the final results of investigation by the Bureau of Customs (BOC),” Eisma added.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has custody of the smuggled items.

Charges of violation of the Customs and Tariff Act, as well as Republic Act 7227, or the Bases Conversion and Development Act are being eyed against the blacklisted brokers.

“Let this serve as a warning that Subic authorities won’t tolerate illegal activities in the Freeport, and we will apply the full force of the law in cases like this,” Eisma added.

On December 24 last year, the SBMA Law Enforcement Department (LED) seized a total of 1,321 boxes of high-end liquor from a closed van and from a 40-footer container van inside the Subic Bay Feeport Zone that was seized in a follow up operation on December 28.

The seized contraband included numerous bottles and boxes of liquor with market prices ranging from R60,000 to as much as R170,000 per bottle.