By Brian Campued
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) – Port of Clark intercepted an air parcel declared as “hairclips” from Indonesia, containing 178 spiderlings.
In a statement on Tuesday, the BOC-Clark said the shipment bound to Valenzuela City was flagged for physical examination due to a suspicion declaration by the consignee on Oct. 30.
The parcel contains 157 vials of live spiders and 21 deceased specimens.
The seized spiders were turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-PENRO).
According to BOC, the attempted smuggling of live spiderlings violates Sections 117 and 113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) concerning Republic Act No. 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Acting District Collector Jairus Reyes said the BOC-Clark remains vigilant and dedicated to protecting the Philippines’ borders against all forms of smuggling, including wildlife trafficking.
Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, likewise, said the agency’s commitment to preventing smuggling “is similarly essential in safeguarding wildlife and maintaining national biosecurity and ecological balance.”
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