MORE 'HOT CARS'. Customs officers inspect three smuggled luxury cars that were intercepted at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) on Wednesday (June 9, 2021). BOC officers earlier intercepted smuggled luxury cars in separate operations at the port on May 26 and June 2. (Photo courtesy of BOC-MICP)
MANILA – Bureau of Customs (BOC) officers have intercepted three smuggled luxury vehicles worth PHP16 million at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) on Wednesday.
Alvin Enciso, chief of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) at the MICP, said Thursday the vehicles include a brand new white 2021 Land Cruiser, a red 2016 Nissan GTR, and a black 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe, both of which are second-hand.
The shipment consigned to Adfinest Marketing Corp., which arrived from Dubai, United Arab Emirates on May 27, was seized in an operation in line with the bureau’s anti-smuggling efforts, particularly CIIS-MICP’s Coplan Tsekot, which aims to prevent the illegal importation of vehicles into the country.
Upon receiving information on the shipment, MICP District Collector Romeo Allan Rosales issued an alert order which led to a full examination of the container.
The three vehicles were found hidden behind used tires found on the container's threshold.
After the examination, which was witnessed by members of the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) and Formal Entry Division (FED), a warrant of seizure and detention (WSD) was issued on the shipment.
An investigation and filing of charges are underway against Adfinest Marketing Corp. for possible violation of Section 1400 in relation to Section 1113 of Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), as well as the lack of authority to import used vehicles from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
“We will continue to monitor these shipments because there has been a series of smuggled vehicles trying to come into the country. That has been evident this past month alone,” Enciso said.
This is the third consecutive week of seizures of luxury vehicles, following the interception of previous shipments at the port on May 26 and June 2. These were both consigned to JLFDM Consumer Goods Trading.
“We have put everything in place to catch these smugglers. We won’t be satisfied with what we’ve achieved and won’t stop exerting more efforts in our campaign until the message is clear to them,” Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said. (PNA)
