MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday seized PHP100 million worth of smuggled frozen meat and agricultural products through a joint operation with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Kawit, Cavite.
In an interview, DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said that besides the lack of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances, the confiscated goods were not properly packaged.
“The violation on food safety is very prominent. It is really for condemnation,” he said.
“Delikado ito kung ilalabas sa merkado, at nagkaroon naman na ng inisyal na pag-usisa ang NMIS (National Meat Inspection Service) at nalaman na unfit for human consumption iyong karamihan dito sa mga nakumpiska (It’s dangerous to release it to the market and the NMIS conducted an initial testing which indicated that most of the seized products are unfit for consumption),” De Mesa added.
The seized products include frozen meat like pork belly, boneless pork, and Peking ducks, as well as fishery products like pompano, giant lapu-lapu, ingredients for shabu-shabu (hot pot) and assorted meatballs, among others.
Chinese characters were used in the packaging of the seized products, which may have originated from China and Hong Kong, according to the BOC.
The smuggled products, weighing a total of 98,000 kilograms, were hidden in 10 cold storage facilities.
De Mesa said the facilities are also illegal as they’re not registered with the NMIS.
The facilities are located behind a property leased under a certain Vigour Global Logistic Corp. and appear to be operating as a parcel sorting center as a front.
De Mesa said no property owner or consignee has come forward yet, but the seized items will be subject to condemnation following the issuance of a warrant of seizure.
Violators may face charges for violation of Republic Act 10611 or Food Safety Act of 2013.
The DA, meanwhile, vowed to continue similar operations to crack down on agricultural smuggling.
“This should serve as a stern warning to unscrupulous traders that we will not stop going after these illicit activities. We want to ensure that our farmers are not disadvantaged by these unfair and often illegal trade practices,” DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a separate statement.
Besides the BOC and NMIS, the DA also collaborates with the intelligence, surveillance, and enforcement teams of the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Animal Industry in running after smugglers of agricultural products. (PNA)