By Ferdinand G. Patinio
MANILA, July 31 (PNA) — The Bureau of Customs-Port of Cagayan de Oro-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (BOC-CDO-CIIS)on Friday said it has seized 21 units of 40-footer container vans filled with ukay-ukay (used clothing) worth about Php 52.5 million early this month.
According to Alvin Enciso, BOC-CDO-CIIS chief, the apprehension was so far the agency’s biggest seizure of used clothing.
“By virtue of the 21 alert orders issued by Customs Deputy Commissioner Intelligence Group (IG) Jessie Dellosa, we were able to hold on to the shipment,” he said in a statement.
The shipment consists of assorted articles such as bed covers, bed sheets, pillow case, blankets, bags, shoes and the prohibited used clothing or ukay-ukay.
It arrived from Malaysia and Korea between July 4 and July 11, 2015 and was intercepted at the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, which is a sub-port of the CDO Port.
They were all consigned to Greener Pasture Marketing with address at no. 36 Acacia Street, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City. The customs broker was identified as Abel Avergonzado, of Purok Talisayan, San Nicholas, Buhangin, Davao City.
Attorney Ruby Claudia Alameda, district collector of CDO Port, issued the Warrants of Seizure and Detention (WSD) and Forfeiture Orders against the goods and 21 container vans.
The BOC official explained that while the importation of ukay-ukay was already a violation in itself, the CIIS also discovered “insertions” of other items in the 21 container vans that were not mentioned in their respective Import Entry documents.
“We discovered that some ukay-ukay smugglers ventured into a new modus operandi. If before, the declared items were a complete falsity, now, they admit that it is a shipment of used clothing, except that they failed to mention some of the contents,” he added. (PNA)