By John Rey Saavedra/PNA
CEBU CITY — The Bureau of Customs (BOC)- Port of Cebu has issued a warrant of seizure and detention (WSD) against four luxury vehicles allegedly smuggled from Japan, Customs Collector Elvira Cruz on Monday said.
Cruz said the vehicles — one unit each of Porsche, Range Rover Evoque, Alfa Romeo, and Mercedez Benz — were placed inside a 40-footer container van.
She said the shipment arrived at the Cebu International Port (CIP) last Dec. 19, 2018.
A report submitted by Customs Examiner Rabel Abella to Cruz’s office obtained by the Philippine News Agency revealed that the shipment was loaded in a container and declared as “piece car body for decoration” covered by Customs Entry number C-45110 when it was lodged before the Entry Processing Unit headed by Jessica Delgado the day after the arrival.
Abella said in her report that the four vehicles consigned to Kylemelan General Merchandise with office address at Tinajeros District II, Malabon City, was placed under yellow lane selectivity. Shipment placed under this category means it is of “moderate risk” and requires customs officials to perform documentary review only, without physical examination on the cargo itself.
However, Abella further said that when the shipment was placed in the X-ray machine, the images showed four units of “car bodies” inside the container. It prompted the X-ray Inspection Project (XIP) Cebu Field Office headed by Joey Reyes to stamp the printed images “for verification.”
Due to XIP’s recommendation, Cruz issued an alert order directing Abella and personnel from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), XIP, Cruz’s office, Customs Police Division, and the broker’s representative to physically examine the cargo at the CIP yard.
“It yielded four units motor vehicles,” the report said.
The consignee as well as the broker, Erwin Roy Vito Rojas, of Pulang Lupa Dos, Las Piñas City, is facing possible charges in violation of section 1400 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act of 2016 for mis-declaring the importation.
BOC-Cebu is yet to determine the value of the four luxury vehicles.
