WHITE ONIONS. Boxes of "kimchi" (left photo) piled up in front of one of the 10 40-footer containers examined on Friday (July 7, 2023) by the Bureau of Customs-Port of Cebu personnel for inventory. It was discovered however that the vans contained white onions. (Photo courtesy of BOC-Cebu)
CEBU CITY – The Bureau of Customs-Port of Cebu Friday discovered white onions in three container vans from China declared as "kimchi".
District Collector Ciriaco Ugay, BOC-Cebu chief, said the three container vans were part of the 10 container vans opened for inventory after the consignee abandoned the shipment last month.
After issuing a decree of abandonment, Ugay said he ordered an inventory to dispose of those misdeclared products.
During the inspection-inventory, however, they discovered sacks of white onions with an estimated value of about PHP1 million and only 147 boxes of kimchi worth PHP183,750.
This prompted them to open two other container vans on Friday and found the same contents – a few boxes of kimchi and sacks of white onions.
Lawyer Erwin Andaya, head of BOC-Cebu’s legal division, said only three of the 10 40-footer container vans were stripped Friday and will continue to open the remaining seven on Monday to determine the estimated value of all undeclared onions. (PNA)
