Customs seize 15,000 sacks of Thai rice at Subic

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) recently seized 15,600 sacks of rice from Thailand that were shipped here without the necessary import permit from the National Food Authority (NFA).

The sacks of Thai White Rice were inside 30 container vans that were seized on April 15, said lawyer Ernelito Aquino, district collector of the Port of Subic, on Monday.

Aquino said the shipments arrived at the Port of Subic on April 5, and were consigned to the Freight Connection Phils. Inc.

“The importation… without any import permit validly issued by the NFA is a clear violation of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines,” Aquino said.

The shipments, worth at least P23 million, arrived here on board MV Moni Rickmers, Aquino said.

He said Marie Ann Dela Cruz, general manager of Freight Connection Phils. Inc., told him that the company was not aware of the importation of the shipment.

The seized shipments were turned over to BOC’s enforcement and security service and stored at the New Container Terminal 2 Pier inside this free port pending auction by the government.  SFM