The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has foiled an attempt to bring a shipment of three second-hand luxury vehicles into the country through misdeclaration.
The shipment from South Korea that arrived at Subic port consisted of a second-hand BMW 735 IL, a Chrysler, and an Audi, which together had an estimated value of P5 million. The shipment was misdeclared as containing truck parts and issued an alert order on April 14, 2016, then apprehended at the port.
“This is a case of misdeclaration, in which the shipment was declared as truck parts instead of cars. As the enforcer of Customs laws, it is our duty to apprehend imports or exports which are shipped in violation of the TCCP (Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines),” Deputy Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno of the BOC-Enforcement Group said in a statement.
He added that the shipment may also have violated Executive Order No. 156, which provides for comprehensive industrial policy and directions for the Motor Vehicle Development Program and its implementing guidelines. Under the EO, importation of all types of used motor vehicles and parts and components, except those that allowed under certain conditions, is banned.
“Importers of used cars usually resort to misdeclaration of cargoes to avoid the ban on used cars under the said executive order,” Nepomuceno said.
To strengthen the drive against technical smuggling through misdeclaration, BOC said it recently issued a memorandum mandating officers and offices of the bureau to observe correct and proper valuation of all harmonized system codes for all motor vehicles.
The memorandum, dated April 20, also instructs that completely built commodities can’t be processed or released without clearance from the Office of the Commissioner.
Accordingly, EG’s Enforcement and Security Service had recommended to the Office of the District Collector the issuance of a warrant of seizure and detention against the shipment for violation of the TCCP, as amended, in relation to Executive Order No. 156.
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