DA and BOC seize 25 MT of smuggled red onions in Misamis Oriental

The Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) intercepted 25 metric tons (MT) of illegally imported red onions from China at the Mindanao International Container Terminal in Misamis Oriental.

In a news release on Tuesday, the DA said the seized cargo arrived on May 26 and was declared to contain various frozen goods such as egg noodles, croissant dough, pizza dough, buns, and spring rolls.

The shipment’s release was withheld for “further inspection” following a request from the BPI-Plant Quarantine Service in Cagayan de Oro to the BOC, citing “derogatory information.”

A physical examination conducted on June 11 revealed that the shipment contained fresh red onions, which were not listed on the ship’s manifest, according to the Agriculture Department.

The estimated customs value of the smuggled onions is around P2 million, and the BOC recommended the seizure of the shipment after the discovery.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. stated that the DA had not issued any sanitary and phytosanitary import permits for red onion shipments from China.

Tiu Laurel mentioned that legal action would be pursued under the newly enacted Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, which imposes heavier penalties for agricultural smuggling, including substantial fines and extended prison terms.

According to the source: GMA Network.