Lapena foils smuggling scheme in MCT-Phividec

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has filed on Wednesday, July 18, criminal cases against three smugglers and one licensed customs broker involved in the ‘swing operations’ at the Sub-Port of Tagoloan, MCT-Phividec recently uncovered by Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapena.

The BOC chief has been zealous in his battle against smuggling and continues to hit on target the efforts of unscrupulous smugglers throughout the country.

“You may be able to get away with your schemes once, twice, thrice. But I will be able to catch up with you and foil your smuggling attempts and schemes,” the customs chief said.

Charged were the following:

Mave Trading with its owner, Meljane B. Mejos, imported five container vans of onions and two container vans of used clothing. These acts violate Section 1400 in relation to 1401 and 117 of the CMTA, RA 4653 and RA 10845, respectively. The total dutiable value of the abovementioned shipments amount to One Million Six Hundred Four Thousand Five Hundred Seventy Seven Pesos and Fifty Centavos (P1,604,577.50) with aggregate duties and taxes due to government in the amount of Eight Hundred Nine Thousand Five Hundred Seventy Nine Pesos (P809,579.00).

Another consignee, JDan Trading, headed by its owner, Asrafani B. Riga tried to smuggle 2,167 bags of sugar that were declared as prefabricated steel in two container vans worth Four Million Eight Hundred Ninety One Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety Pesos and Thirty Two Centavos (P4,891,990.32) with aggregate duties and

taxes due to the government in the amount of Four Million One Hundred Fifty Two Thousand Eight Hundred Sixty Five Pesos (P4,152,865.00)

Also charged is General Success Merchandise led by its owner, Sherbet S. Alazas attempted to smuggle 2,316 bags of sugar that were also declared as boiler casings in 4 container vans worth Four Million Four Hundred Ninety Eight Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty Two Pesos and Seventy Four Centavos (P4,498,852.74) with aggregate duties and taxes due to the government in the amount of Three Million Eight Hundred Twenty One Thousand Four Hundred Thirty Nine Pesos (P3,821,439.00).

All three consignees were assisted by Licensed Customs Broker Raul M. De Leon, Jr. in their scheme to defraud the government.

Lapena has forewarned that the Bureau under his leadership would be filing more criminal cases against these smugglers as the Bureau continues its intensified drive to eradicate all forms of smuggling activities in the country.

It should be noted that two of the consignees, namely, Mave Trading and General Success Merchandise, are also involved in the “Swing Operation” and “Release and File Entry Later” scheme, which was recently discovered and thwarted because of Lapena’s to alert the abovementioned shipments at the Sub-Port of Tagoloan.

Under the “Swing Operation” scheme, shipments were released from Customs custody thru the use of a Pre-Assessment BOC-SAD print out from the Value-Added Service Provider (VASP) with bogus stamp of “SUBJECT FOR X-RAY” or “FOR TRANSFER TO MICT-CCA”, then spirited out from the Port without passing through MICTCCA and without the required gate pass issued by Cargo Control Section. In this method, the release of the shipments is without the corresponding import entry being filed; thus, no payment of duties and taxes.

Whereas, under the “Release and File Entry Later” scheme, the shipments were immediately released from Customs custody with its corresponding import entry filed several days after the release. This method is adopted to avoid timely detection by alerting offices, and proper examination of shipments.

As of press time, an investigation is still ongoing to uncover all the personalities involved in the said scheme. The Commissioner has ensured that all the personalities, including the port operator and even employees of the Bureau, if found to be involved in this reprehensible scheme, shall be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Initially, the Commissioner has relieved 11 BOC employees from their positions, and another five (5) BOC employees were administratively charged and preventively suspended.

Lapena added, “I will get to the bottom of this. The investigation will continue until all personalities involved not only in the unauthorized or illegal release of containers but also those involved in what could be a large scale ‘swing operation’ and ‘release now, file later’ schemes are made accountable.”