Amid the ongoing ‘oversupply’ of vegetables in the Northern portion of the country, some perpetrators are taking advantage, after the Bureau of Customs discovered an estimated P5 million worth of suspected smuggled vegetables and fruits after several inspections in warehouses in Manila on Tuesday, resulting to the discovery of hundreds of crates of the agricultural products.

In a report on Wednesday, agents from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service at the Manila International Container Port and the National Bureau of Investigation-Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division went to three warehouses—one in San Nicolas and two in Binondo—to implement the Letters of Authority.

BOC-CIIS Director Verne Enciso said that the composite team inspected the warehouses and found fresh imported broccoli worth an estimated P2 million in the San Nicolas storage.

The team also found a warehouse of WSH Trading in Sto. Cristo St. in Binondo contains fresh imported vegetables and fruits, among which were bell pepper, garlic sprout, volcanic sweet potato, cauliflower, lotus root, corn, spinach, romaine, mushroom, oranges, strawberry, grapes, pear, melon, kiwi, apple, longgan, and cherry tomato, approximately P2 million worth.

Another storage in El Cano St. in Binondo also yielded cauliflower, yam, water bamboo, lotus root, spinach, tomato, baby cabbage, crown daisy, and apple worth an estimated P1 million.

“These were just the initial assessment of the value of these goods. There will be a thorough inventory and inspection of the goods found to determine the exact value, so we can file the appropriate cases against the owners of the warehouses and the companies and people behind these smuggling activities,” Enciso explained.

The inventory of the goods will be conducted by the assigned Customs examiners, and to be witnessed by agents from CIIS and the respective warehouse representatives.

Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Juvymax Uy stressed the agency’s dedication to following the orders of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in protecting the country’s borders against the illegal entry of smuggled products.

“I believe I speak here for everyone when I say we are equally frustrated by reports from farmers and traders that their Christmas sales were severely impacted by smuggling. Anti-smuggling operations go through a long and rigorous process, but this process also ensures we will put these perpetrators in courts and behind bars,” he said.

The owners of the warehouses will be given 15 days to present the proper documents to clear out allegations they were storing illegally imported vegetables and fruits.

If found without proper documents, the corresponding seizure and forfeiture proceedings will be conducted against the subject shipments for violation of Sec. 1400 (misdeclaration in goods declaration) about Sec. 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of Republic Act No. 10863 known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.