SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Authorities in this free port are keeping an eagle-eyed watch for attempts by unscrupulous traders to smuggle agricultural products through Subic, as imported vegetables begin flooding the local market in time for the Christmas season.

On Wednesday, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Subic apprehended nine 40-foot container trucks containing contained fresh potatoes, carrots, radish, and broccoli amounting to millions of pesos.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Jonathan D. Tan said the nine containers were all declared to be filled with frozen lobster balls, which were consigned to Rianne Food Products, a food importer-exporter and wholesaler based in Pasay City.

Tan, who inspected the misdeclared goods with Subic District Customs Collector Ciriaco Ugay and officials from the Bureau of Plant Industry, said the seized cargo arrived on November 3.

Authorities flagged the shipment, he added, as the declaration stated that it contained at least 40,000 cartons of frozen lobster balls.

Tan lauded the vigilance of Subic port officials, adding that both the SBMA and the Subic BOC “are very much serious in implementing the President’s mandate to go after agricultural smugglers and end illicit trade in the country.”

Port authorities, however, are expected to heighten monitoring of shipments as more smuggling attempts occur before and during the Christmas season.

In December last year, the BOC seized P171 million worth of smuggled onions and other agricultural products from China in a series of investigations in Subic and at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

Customs officials said most of the shipments were declared as frozen products like prawn balls, lobsters and crab sticks, as well as udon noodles. Closer inspection, however, yielded red and white onions, along with other agricultural products from China.

Some P15 million worth of “hot” vegetables illegally shipped from China were also seized by the BOC in Subic in December 2021 after five 40-footer container vans declared to contain frozen assorted vegetables were flagged for non-compliance with the approved sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance on temperature requirement.

The shipment, however, contained chilled water bamboo, mushrooms, broccoli, and other vegetables that were considered illegal for importation into the country. (30)

PHOTOS:

‘HOT’ VEGGIES: SBMA Chairman Jonathan Tan and Subic Customs Collector Ciriaco Ugay inspect misdeclared vegetable shipment from China. (SBMA photo)