P4.4-M smuggled sugar seized at Port of Manila

MANILA — Customs officials seized eight containers of smuggled sugar worth around PHP4.4 million at the Port of Manila (POM) on Wednesday.

In a statement Thursday, the Bureau of Customs-POM said the seized items consigned to RZTREC Trading arrived at the South Harbor on August 30 from China.

The shipments were declared to contain steel coils. An examination conducted on the containers on Wednesday revealed that it contained Korach conditioned refined sugar.

BOC-POM immediately issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention against the said shipment for violation of Section 1400 “Misdeclaration, Misclassification and Undervaluation in Goods Declaration,” in relation to Section 1113 “Property Subject to Seizure and Forfeiture,” and Section 117 “Regulated Importation and Exportation” of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

Fuel marking compliance

Meanwhile, one of the “Big 3” oil companies in the country has complied with the government’s fuel marking requirement.

Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), a marketer of the Caltex brand of fuels, lubricants, and petroleum products, recently undertook live fuel marking at its import terminal in San Pascual, Batangas.

The activity held last Nov. 11 was witnessed by Customs Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement Teddy Raval, head of the implementing BOC office on the government’s Fuel Marking Program (FMP), and other officials and representatives from the fuel marker consortium, SICPA SA-SGS Philippines.

“The other oil companies with unmarked fuel are encouraged to do the same. They still have three months to comply. We will strictly enforce and impose penalties as mandated by the law,” said the BOC official in a statement.

On the other hand, CPI Country Chairman Louie Zhang expressed support to the effort of the government to stop fuel smuggling by implementing such program.

“CPI supports the government’s initiative to curb fuel smuggling through this fuel marking program. We hope that this program will level the playing field among the industry participants and ensure that all oil companies pay the correct taxes and help build the nation,” he added.

Following the recent completion of the implementing rules and regulations for the FMP, gasoline, diesel, and kerosene shall be tested for compliance with the prescribed dilution level, whether at the refinery, terminal or retail sites.

The program aims to curb oil smuggling in the country by placing a molecular marker on imported, manufactured and refined fuel products namely, gasoline, diesel, and kerosene.