In line with the anti-smuggling campaign of the national government, three containers—placed under an alert status by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) as requested by DA Inspectorate and Enforcement Office (DA I&E) earlier this week—were examined and investigated on December 6, 2022.

The inspection of the suspicious shipments at the Port of Subic was conducted by BOC, together with the DA I&E, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Chamber of Customs Brokers Inc (CCBI), and Port of Subic (POS).

It was discovered, during the joint intelligence work of BOC collector Maritess Martin and DA representatives under the authority of Assistant Secretary James Layug, that the shipment contained in a 40-footer container of Veneta Consumer Goods Trading, labeled as assorted consumables contained frozen carrots.

Meanwhile, the two 4-footer containers of Lalavy Aggregates Trading, labeled as frozen lobster balls and crabsticks actually contained fresh red and white onions.

The combined estimated value of the seized agricultural product is Php 20.193 million.

Following a thorough examination and inventory, the Port of Subic will issue Warrants of Seizure and Detention (WSD) against the shipments.

The Department of Agriculture is currently preparing charges against the people responsible for violating the Food Safety Act of 2013 (R.A. 10611) and the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 (R.A. 10845).