MANILA – Bureau of Customs officials who conducted surprise inspections of several ports in Davao City over the weekend found no fake or synthetic rice.
The surprise inspection was to check on the presence of fake or plastic rice following news reports of alleged existence of synthetic rice in the province.
Commissioner Alberto Lina, together with Enforcement Group (EG) Deputy Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno and other Customs officials, visited several Davao ports including the Davao International Container Terminal (DICT) Wharf in Panabo, Davao del Norte, Port of Davao, Sasa Wharf and other areas within the BOC-Port of Davao premises.
The inspection on rice shipments yielded negative for plastic rice.
“We are strictly monitoring the area and we would like to assure the public that the BOC is committed to curb the smuggling of items especially illegal importation of basic commodities like rice that disadvantageously affects our country,” Lina said in a statement.
He said that the bureau was closely coordinating with the National Food Authority, local government units, and other concerned agencies and local law enforcement authorities like the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guards, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to seize and confiscate contraband.
DICT employees showed to Cusotms officials their methodical operations and strict cargo monitoring computerization to ensure that no smuggled items enter the country undetected.
Last July 7, the BOC and the NFA conducted surprise raid on several establishments in Manila where they confiscated over 1,500 kilos of smuggled rice from China. pna
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
