THE Bureau of Customs on Thursday filed smuggling charges against agricultural importers who allegedly misdeclared several containers of onions as some other products.

In its filing before the Department of Justice, Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon charged traders Maria Guia Alfonso, owner of Advanced Impex International Trading; Micheal Galon Jovan, owner of Iana Enterprises; and Raymundo Conge Rebozido, owner of Royal  Halo Enterprises.

The BOC also charged brokers Vanessa Ocampo, Steve Salagade Semblante and Jason Ferrer for allegedly helping the traders misdeclare their respective goods.

“We will not allow smugglers of agricultural products to place our local farmers in a very bad situation. We will extend the long arms of the law, wherever it will take us, if only to stop your illegal activities and to place you where you rightfully belong,” Biazon said in a statement.

According to the charges, Alfonso declared two 40-foot container loads of onions, with an assessed value of P4 million, as apples. 

Meanwhile, Jovan declared six container loads of onions, worth P18 million, as pastries and Rebozido declared his four container loads of onions, worth P5.3 million, as plastic and kitchen wares.

“Rebozido’s shipments were actually able to get through customs gate. However, when it was tailed by customs operatives to its warehouse, the shipment turned out to be onions and not plastic and kitchen wares as declared,” Biazon said.

The shipments have been issued Warrant of Seizure and Detention orders and are now under customs custody, he said.

“These are just some of the many more charges we are going to file against those who violate the law.  There will be no sacred cows at the bureau under my watch,” Biazon said.

Biazon expects the agency to collect lower than its target for October, still as a result of lower volume of cargoes being shipped despite the peak season.

“Definitely it will be below our [collection] expectations. Even coming from the more seasoned BOC officials, we will hit below our targets,” Biazon told reporters “We are still in the middle of the month but if compared with September figures, we are way below our targets.”

For October, the BOC has a collection target of P30.48 billion. For the same month last year, the agency collected P22.57 billion.