The Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Inspectorate and Enforcement (DA-IE) apprehended 175,000 kilos of smuggled frozen agricultural products amounting to P35 million during an operation in Meycauayan, Bulacan on July 11, 2023.

The initiative is in accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen the Department’s fight against agricultural smuggling.

Following the issuance of the Letter of Authority by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), DA-IE, in partnership with the barangay officials of Meycauayan, conducted joint raid operations with the Armed Forces of Philippines (AFP), National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Several frozen spoiled meat products, including pork feet, lamb and chicken skin, were found inside two makeshift cold storage facilities.

Banned frozen meat products from Germany and India were also discovered. Moreover, evidence of re-boxing of the spoiled meats were discovered. Thorough investigation is underway to probe deeper into the re-boxing operations.

Asec. James Layug, who heads the DA-IE, stressed that DA ensures that the storage warehouses will be shut down, while its owners will be held accountable for trading smuggled agricultural commodities.

Food safety remains to be one of the DA’s major concern, and selling smuggled meat and fishery products in the market poses danger to public health.

“The seized commodities lack the sanitary and phytosanitary clearance from the appropriate Food Safety Regulatory Agency (FSRA),” he said.

He added that the Department will initiate prosecution against those found responsible pursuant to Republic Act No. 10611, the Food Safety Act of 2013, and Republic Act No. 10845, the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.###