PH, China start talks on curbing smuggling

The Philippines and China have started informal talks on strengthening cooperation against contraband through Manila’s Bureau of Customs and Beijing’s Anti-Smuggling Bureau (ASB) under the General Administration of Customs.

According to Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, an ASB delegation, including agency chief Quan Li and officials of the ASB’s Xiamen offices, recently paid him a visit.

The visiting team, Faeldon said in a statement, had “expressed confidence that the customs officials of both countries would double their efforts toward a more effective information sharing and intelligence work focused on antismuggling operations.”

He said the two parties had exchanged information on how to strengthen and improve communication strategies to put a stop to international illicit trade.

The Customs chief said he had assured the visitors that the Philippines “continues to be on guard against smuggling and that international cooperation is significant in this campaign.”

“This renewed commitment from both China and Philippine customs to fight smuggling is a strong signal and warning to smugglers to rethink and stop their illegal trade,” Faeldon said.

The BOC said that in October 2016 it had intercepted 12 40-footer containers of imported rice from China valued at about P20 million.

The containers, which arrived at the Port of Manila, were initially declared to contain leatherette. But inspection revealed that all containers carried thousands of sacks of rice, according to the BOC.

Faeldon said that was the first time an importer attempted to smuggle rice of such value into the country through the Port of Manila.