122 seized vehicles bulldozed in Custom’s bid to stop smuggling

The downpour Wednesday afternoon did not stop the Bureau of Customs from destroying over a hundred smuggled motorcycles and vehicles worth 137.41 million in a bid to prevent smugglers from getting the seized vehicles back through auctions.

Using a backhoe, a total of 122 smuggled vehicles – 116 motorcycles and six vehicles – were crashed and bulldozed at the Customs grounds. President Duterte and several government officials witnessed the third destruction of seized vehicles in the country.

The vehicles destroyed include 112 units of brand new Vespa scooters, used BMW motorcycle, Harley Davidson, two units of Triumph motorcycle, Mitsubishi Pajero, two units of Land Rover, and a Volvo car. These, according to the bureau were seized at the Manila International Container Port (MICP), Port of Subic, and Port of Iloilo. They arrived on separate dates.

Two more vehicles – a used 2002 Ford Ecoline and 2005 Ford Ecoline E350 – were also destroyed at the Port of Cebu on the same day.

Missing from the vehicles that were destroyed were the previously seized supercars including a McLaren and a Ferrari, which are currently under litigation at the Law Division.

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said 24 luxury vehicles that were intercepted at the MICP are under litigation.

"I have directed those in charge of the case to facilitate the litigation of the 24 luxury cars. If the final decision of the case is in favor of the government, the same will happen to them. They will be destroyed," Lapeña said.

Eighteen of the 24 cars including 13 brand new Land Cruisers, two units of Chevrolet Camaro, two units of brand new Range Rover, and McLaren have been forfeited, however, the importer filed an appeal with the Court of Tax Appeals.

The remaining cars are still under legal proceedings, Lapeña said.

The bureau reiterated that the destruction of the vehicles aims to stop the fixing schemes of the smugglers conniving with some Customs employees in the usual public auction of seized cars.

The destruction of the vehicles was also meant to send a stern warning to importers to pay the right tax for their vehicle importations "or have them crushed by a bulldozer."

The Customs chief stressed that smugglers disguise as bidders during legitimate auction proceedings to get the seized vehicles back.

This is the third time under the Duterte administration that the Customs has destroyed smuggled vehicles.

The first condemnation of 20 smuggled luxury vehicles 161,626,000 were destroyed in February, in Manila. Another 10 smuggled vehicles were also crushed in Cebu and Davao on the same day.

The second was in March when 14 smuggled vehicles worth 127 million were also destroyed in Sta. Ana, Cagayan in March.