The Bureau of Customs (BOC), under Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, filed six criminal complaints before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against the owner and representatives of an importer, a licensed customs broker, BOC officials and personnel, and other individuals allegedly involved in six shipments misdeclared as “chicken lollipops” to conceal thousands of sacks of fresh onions and boxes of carrots imported without the required regulatory clearance.
The shipments, consigned to Berches Consumer Goods Trading and which arrived in June 2025, were found during physical examinations to contain a total of 15,029 sacks of fresh white onions and 2,164 boxes of fresh carrots.
The agricultural products were likewise not covered by the required Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) from the Bureau of Plant Industry.
The complaints allege violations of Section 1401, in relation to Sections 1400 and 117, of Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), arising from the alleged fraudulent misdeclaration of the shipments and the importation of regulated agricultural products without the required clearances.
The complaints against the concerned BOC officials and personnel likewise cite Section 1431 (c), (e), and (f) of the CMTA, which penalizes, among others, the willful neglect of duties enjoined by law, providing an opportunity for or failing to perform an act with the intent to enable another person to defraud the government of customs revenue, and negligently or designedly permitting another person to violate the law.
The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) has endorsed the appropriate administrative charges against the concerned BOC officials and personnel to the Prosecution and Litigation Division (PLD) for the conduct of hearings in accordance with the Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service (RACCS).
Nepomuceno stressed that the BOC will relentlessly pursue not only smugglers and their accomplices, but also any Customs official or employee found to have participated in, facilitated, or benefited from illegal activities.
The customs chief reiterated this commitment following the recent National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) operation in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, which reportedly implicated Customs personnel in the alleged smuggling of imported chicken meat, stressing that no one is above the law.
“Wala tayong pagtatakpan at hindi natin kukunsintihin ang anumang paglabag, lalo na kung may pagtatangkang abusuhin ang ating mga proseso.”
“Wala tayong pagtatakpan at hindi natin kukunsintihin ang anumang paglabag, lalo na kung may pagtatangkang abusuhin ang ating mga proseso,” he said.
“Importer man, broker, o kawani ng Customs, kung may sapat na ebidensya, gagawin natin ang nararapat at ihaharap ang kaso sa tamang proseso. Ang pananagutan ay para sa lahat,” Nepomuceno stressed.
“Ang pananagutan ay para sa lahat.”
With the filing of the six complaints, the BOC has now filed a total of 96 criminal cases with 288 respondents. The Bureau has likewise recorded ₱13.7 billion worth of seizures from 2025 through 2026, reflecting its sustained efforts to prevent the entry and movement of illicit and misdeclared goods and to protect legitimate trade and the Filipino public.
These enforcement actions are intended not only to hold violators accountable but also to send a clear message that attempts to circumvent customs laws and regulations will be met with decisive action. The BOC continues to strengthen its enforcement presence to create a strong deterrent against smuggling and other illicit activities while ensuring that legitimate businesses and compliant stakeholders are protected.
In line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to intensify the government’s campaign against agricultural smuggling, the BOC under Nepomuceno continues to strengthen border protection and internal accountability through the Bureau’s Integrity, Accountability, and Modernization (IAM) Movement.
