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MANILA — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has closed down 9 warehouses of “smuggled” rice in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Alvin Enciso, chief of BOC’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, said the move is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr’s directive to eliminate agricultural smuggling.

“Tayo ay nagsagawa ng iba’t ibang klase ng surveillance in this area kasi maraming nag-iimbak ng mga bigas at mayroon tayong natanggap na impormasyon na ang mga bodega sa ating  mga dadalawin ngayon ay smuggled,” Enciso said. 

The BOC said they found 30,000 sacks of rice in just one warehouse. Enciso said more than a hundred thousands sacks were in the raided warehouses.

The official said he would give the warehouse owners 15 days to provide documents and prove that their rice sacks were not smuggled. Some of the rice sacks in the warehouses originated from Pakistan and Thailand. Some rice stocks also had yet to be distributed “for unknown reasons,” he said.

“Inaalikabok na dito. Hindi pa binebenta sa publiko,” he added.

Should there be probable cause, the BOC would issue a warrant of seizure and detention, Enciso said.

“Ito ay mga regulated goods. Hihingin natin kaagad ang kanilang permits,” he said.

Enciso said the agency would “dig deeper” on how these items were smuggled but initial information showed these came from different ports of the Philippines.

Once the rice stocks that do not have proper documentation are seized, these may be donated or sold to the public, he said.

“Puwede rin itong sirain kung ito ay unfir for human consumption pero sa direktiba nga ng ating Pangulo, ayaw niya masayang ang nga pagkain nanase-seize,” according to Enciso.

Source : abs-cbn