AT least 2,025 metric tons of smuggled Vietnamese rice worth P100 million were seized by local port officials of the Bureau of Customs on Monday, December 25.
In a statement, the BOC said the smuggled white rice was detected at the Port of Orion, in the adjacent town of Orion.
The rice was loaded onto the ship M/V “SF Omega” which had been anchored there since Dec. 21.
The vessel attempted to unload the rice shipment, which was declared illegal when the documents were in conflict with the Bureau of Plant Industry clearance, which allows only 1, 700 MT of agricultural products, as posted on Inquirer.net
The BOC found no proof to show that the rice importation was cleared by the national government.
Lawyer Sajid Jacalne, acting chief of the law division of the Port of Limay, signed the warrant of seizure and detention on Dec. 24.
metrosundaily
