MANILA – Two importers are facing criminal complaints before the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said on Tuesday.
In a statement, the bureau said separate cases were filed on Monday against the companies for the illegal importation of PHP2.4 million worth of chemicals and medical equipment.
The first criminal complaint is against Construction Supplies Trading and its customs broker for the importation of 180 drums of sodium cyanide worth PHP1.45 million on Feb. 23, 2021, at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
The said goods arrived without the necessary import permit or clearance from the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR) in violation of Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA); Customs Memorandum Order 09-2015 (CMO 09-2015); Republic Act 6969 or the “Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990” as implemented by DENR Administrative Order No. 1997-39 (DAO 1997-39) otherwise known as “Chemical Control Order for Cyanide and Cyanide Compounds”; DENR Administrative Order 2005-27 (DAO 2005-27); EMB Memorandum Circular No. 2005-003 and Art. 172 in relation to Art. 171 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended.
The second case involves Brodlie Medical Systems Inc. and its customs broker due to alleged misdeclaration of used medical equipment worth PHP951,260.92. The incident happened on December 29, 2020, at MICP.
The respondents violated pertinent provisions of the CMTA, Republic Act No. 6969 as implemented by DENR AO No. 2013-22 otherwise known as the “Revised Procedures and Standards for the Management of Hazardous Wastes”; Food and Drug Administration Circular No. 2017-013; and Article 172 in relation to Article 171 of the RPC.
The filing of criminal complaints was through the combined efforts and initiatives of the Bureau’s Action Team Against Smugglers (BATAS), the Law Division, and the Office of the District Collector of the MICP.
To date, there are 38 criminal complaints filed before the DOJ against unscrupulous importers and customs brokers.
On the other hand, some 23 administrative complaints have been filed before the Professional Regulation Commission against erring customs brokers. (PNA)
