INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Customs, backed by soldiers from the Philippine Army and the Navy, seized 200,000 kilograms of rice that was allegedly smuggled from neighboring Malaysia Friday night.
In a statement issued Saturday morning, the bureau said it intercepted together with the 53rd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army as well as Philippine Navy troops illegally imported rice in Margosatubig, Zamboanga del Sur, at around 10 p.m. Friday.
The rice, contained in 4,000 50-kilogram sacks, came from Sandakan, Malaysia, which, the BOC noted, is just 628 kilometers or 338.87 nautical miles from Zamboanga del Sur.
The rice was being unloaded at the dock from MV Amnesia into four 10-wheeler trucks when the authorities moved in, according to the customs bureau.
“Upon further checking, the vessel’s captain, a certain Jade Jackaria, was unable to show any import permit from the National Food Authority for the rice nor any import documents filed with the BOC; showing instead just the crew list and coasting manifest,” the agency said.
Charo Logarta-Lagamon, who heads the BOC’s public information and assistance division, said the confiscated rice is now “on hold in the area.”
RELATED STORIES
50,000 MT rice smuggled to PH weekly, says Customs exec
Customs welcomes TRO on seized smuggled rice