AUTHORITIES conducted a raid on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at a warehouse in Barangay San Roque, Talisay City, resulting in the seizure of a staggering 26,526 sacks of allegedly smuggled rice.
The operation, led by the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage (AAES) Council’s enforcement group—comprising the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and the Maritime Group—uncovered rice valued at approximately P38 million.
The raid followed a June 19th Letter of Authority (LOA) issued by the Executive Committee of the AAES Council, granting permission to inspect several warehouses in Kimba Compound suspected of storing smuggled agricultural products in violation of Republic Act No. 12022 (the AAES Law). The targeted warehouse belonged to River Valley Distribution Inc. (RVDI).
The inspection, carried out on June 20th, revealed that RVDI was unable to account for the 26,526 sacks of rice, weighing a total of 863,345 kilograms.
Investigations suggest the rice was illegally imported from Pakistan and Vietnam. The significant quantity and value of the seized rice underscore the scale of the alleged smuggling operation.
This major seizure highlights the ongoing efforts of the AAES Council and its enforcement partners to combat agricultural smuggling and protect the Philippine agricultural sector from unfair competition. Further investigations are underway to identify those responsible and determine the full extent of the smuggling operation.
