IN a joint operation, the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) uncovered smuggled agricultural goods at the Port of Subic on July 8, 2025. The operation, conducted in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to bolster national food security and protect local farmers, revealed misdeclared agricultural products hidden within ten 40-foot containers.
The shipments, initially declared as “Chicken Lollipops” or “Chicken Poppers,” were found to contain approximately PHP 100 million worth of agricultural commodities, including carrots, white onions, and frozen mackerel.
The inspection, led by BOC Port of Subic District Collector Noel C. Estanislao, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., and SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño, confirmed that the shipments were deliberately misdeclared to circumvent customs regulations.
Authorities will issue Warrants of Seizure and Detention (WSD) against the shipments for violations of multiple laws, including the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA). The BOC has committed to further monitoring the remaining containers and filing charges against those responsible for the smuggling attempt.
metrosundaily
