The Bureau of Animal Industry – Veterinary Quarantine Services (BAI-VQS) at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) and Bureau of Customs – MICP have ordered the disposal of the food items that tested positive for African Swine Fever (ASF).
The containerized shipment consigned to Dynamic M Intl Trading Inc arrived at MICP on December 11, 2019 from China and was Alerted on December 17, 2019. It contained various food items such as dumplings, pork-chicken balls, and roast chicken wings.
The shipment was initially inspected by Customs at MICP’s Designated Examination Area. And, the shipment was transferred to the consignee’s warehouse at Goldkey Bldg, Toklong, Kawit, Cavite for the conduct of 100% examination by BAI and Customs.
The transfer was found necessary to provide BAI the proper cold storage facility to ensure proper inspection of the meat products, and for that agency to conduct proper tests a function which is beyond the authority and capability of Customs.
A laboratory test was conducted by BAI-VQS on the subject shipment which resulted positive of ASF. BAI, then, recommended for the immediate disposal of the ASF-infected food items.
The shipment was seized for violating Sections 117, 1113 and 1400 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, RA 3720 or the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and RA 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.
Customs has taken cue from the expertise of BAI for the disposal of the shipment. Based on the disposal plan, the food items will be disinfected by BAI-VQS and transported to the disposal facility of Eco Safe Agro Products located at Marina 1 Container Yard, Manila Harbor Center, Road 10, Vitas, Tondo, Manila and the items will be buried 25 feet underground at the Pier 18 landfill.
An inter-agency team composed of officers from the BOC, BAI-VQS, and the Philippine Coast Guard will oversee the transfer of the ASF-infected food items and will witness the disposal.
Since the shipment tested positive of ASF, BAI has been leading the proper handling and disposal of the goods. The inter-agency team has undertaken the necessary underguarding in order to secure the shipment.
The agencies assure the public that the shipment has been properly handled and that appropriate measures and protocol are in place for the disposal of the food items.
