NFA bares massive rice smuggling via Davao

The National Food Authority on Thursday said a total of 312,500 sacks of milled rice were shipped in through Davao over the past four months, most of which have gone past customs without the necessary import permit from the regulator.

NFA administrator Orlan A. Calayag said in a statement that he has requested the Bureau of Customs to immediately seize a batch of 243,000 sacks that came in via 14 shipments that arrived between July and this month.

“These were confirmed by BOC’s district collector in Davao, Raymond Ventura,” Calayag said in a statement. “[But] BOC personnel assigned at the port allowed the shipments to leave despite the lack of an import permit.”

Calayag said he has provided Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon with details about this batch of alleged contraband, including the names of the consignees.

He said a total of 25,000 sacks for Bold Bidder Marketing and General Merchandise arrived on Aug. 7 and 12, while 77,000 sacks for Jade Bros. Farms and Livestock Inc. came in on July 26 and Aug. 1.

Also, 45,000 sacks for Medaglia de Oro Trading landed on July 27 and Aug. 7, 10 and 19, 2013; and Silent Royalty Marketing, with 68,000 sacks that arrived on Aug. 10, 18, 28 and Sept. 4.

A fifth consignee, Starcraft Trading Corp., accounted for 28,000 sacks that arrived on Sept. 21 and Oct. 1.

Calayag said he has requested Biazon to file the necessary charges against the consignees as well as the concerned BOC personnel.