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Agents from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) intercepted at least P80 million worth of second-hand luxury cars and illegal cigarettes at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
The CIIS authorities seized Porsche Sportscar, Bentley Luxury Car, Mercedes Benz Sportscar and Volkswagen at half cut, with an estimated value of 20 million pesos.
In a report to Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, MICP Collector Romeo Allan Rosales said the hot cars were consigned to Bue Core Enterprises and were declared movable. The shipment arrived on October 16.
A seizure and arrest warrant (WSD) was immediately issued against the vehicles. The importation of used cars is prohibited by Executive Order (EO) 156 and the Republic Law (RA) 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariffs Law (CMTA).
EO 156, issued on December 12, 2002 by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, imposes a total ban on the importation of used cars, except vehicles owned and for personal use by a returning resident or immigrant and those that of a
officer of the Diplomatic Corps, trucks, buses and special vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances, among others.
Contraband cigarettes declared as miscellaneous items that included cardboard, furniture and bags, among others, were also captured by CIIS-MICP in a separate operation.
But when inspected, the shipment was found to contain 500 boxes and 1,198 boxes of cigarettes smuggled from China with an estimated P60 million. The hot products were imported by Ocean World Enterprises.
According to the MICP collector, they were investigating 11 other shipments on suspicion that they also contained illegally imported cigarettes.
The importer will face charges for violation of RA 10863 and the guidelines and regulations of the Office of Internal Revenue (BIR), and the pertinent Memorandum of the National Tobacco Authority (NTA). Other shipments from the importer were also being investigated to determine whether they were in compliance with customs laws, rules and regulations.
Last July, CIIS agents also seized P187 million worth of illegal cigarettes, the largest catch in the MICP. It was consigned to Rhyanne Consumer Goods.Trading.
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