Manila: Four individuals in two separate smuggling cases involving the illegal importation of cigarettes and vehicles in 2021 have been convicted by the Regional Trial Court of Manila, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said in a news release on Saturday.
According to Philippines News Agency, in the first case, the court convicted an individual who used YJC International Corporation as a consignee-for-hire in the unlawful importation of two 40-foot containers from China, falsely declared to contain plastic products that arrived on January 3, 2021. Upon physical examination, Customs authorities discovered 1,599 cartons of cigarettes concealed among the declared goods without the required import commodity clearances. The accused was sentenced to an indeterminate penalty of 12 years and one day to 15 years and one day of imprisonment for each count.
In a separate case, the president, vice president, and corporate secretary of ADNFinest Marketing Corporation were convicted for their participation in the unlawful importation of motor vehicles from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, that arrived on May 27, 2021. Although the shipment was declared to contain only two vehicles, Customs examination uncovered an undeclared 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and 98 unmanifested used tires. The prosecution, likewise, established that the company had no Certificate of Authority to Import motor vehicles. The three corporate officers were each sentenced to an indeterminate penalty of six years and one day to 10 years and one day of imprisonment.
The BOC filed criminal charges for both cases in 2021, the same year the unlawful importations transpired, reflecting its prompt and decisive response against customs violations. "The message of these cases is clear: There are consequences for breaking the law. We are not only interdicting illegal cargo at our ports. We are also ensuring that those behind the violations are held accountable to protect legitimate businesses and maintain fair trade in the country," BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said.
