Customs officials in the Philippines have seized five shipments from China containing misdeclared agricultural products estimated to be worth around US$500,000.

The seizure is part of the authorities’ aim to boost revenue collection and protect local farmers from a recent influx of smuggled agricultural products, the Bureau of Customs-Manila International Container Port (BOC-MICP) announced in a statement.

Weight and value discrepancies

The misdeclared shipments which arrived at MICP on separate dates were unearthed when examinations conducted by BOC officers revealed that there were discrepancies in the weight and declared value of the shipments.

Based on x-ray and physical inspection, the shipments that were declared as apples, oranges and pears also contained carrots, onions, and potatoes.

Consignees

Four of the five shipments were consigned to Ingredient Management Asia and one to Mcrey International Trading.

The seized goods have been condemned by customs since they were not covered by the required phytosanitary permits.

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