Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led various agencies in inspecting 10 container vans flagged on suspicion they are loaded with smuggled agricultural commodities, potentially the biggest single seizure under the newly enacted Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.
The Bureau of Customs clarified the total of flagged containers van is 52, not 59 as initially reported because 7 were subject of double alerts. And of the 52, 21 have been released after thorough examination and clearance from the Department of Agriculture, it added.
The illicit trade practices appear to have also violated provisions of the Food Safety Act of 2013 and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
With the goods loaded in 10 container vans estimated to be worth ₱100 million, the total value of the entire haul of 31 container vans could reach several hundreds of millions of pesos.
Aside from the 31 containers, three more consigned to Queenstar Industry Consumer Trading were seized after alerts issued by DA-IE and inspection showed they contained carrots and frozen mackerel that lack permits in violation of food safety and customs regulations.
Meantime, the 10 containers vans, all imported from China, were found to be loaded with frozen mackerel, fresh carrots, and yellow onions—agricultural products that require import permits, which were notably absent.
“These products will be subjected to testing to determine their safety for human consumption.”
“We have here frozen mackerels, fresh onions, and carrots—all imported illegally, without the necessary regulatory clearances. These products will be subjected to testing to determine their safety for human consumption,” Tiu Laurel said.
“If found unfit, they will be destroyed immediately.”
“If found unfit, they will be destroyed immediately. Our priority is the protection of public health and the livelihood of our farmers and fisherfolk,” the agriculture chief added.
Five of the inspected containers were consigned to 1024 Consumer Goods Trading and were loaded with frozen mackerel. The remaining five containers—two filled with fresh yellow onions and three with carrots—were consigned to Berches Consumers Goods Trading.
A 40-footer container van usually carries around 25 tons of cargo.
The operation was conducted by the DA Inspectorate and Enforcement (DA-IE) Office in coordination with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the Port of Subic, led by Collector Noel Estanislao. The inspection followed Alert Requests issued by the DA-IE and was carried out under the One DA Border Control Team (1-DABCT) framework, with representatives from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) present.
Since the start of June, the DA has filed 15 Alert Requests that have resulted in the seizure of 76 container vans suspected of being loaded with smuggled goods, 59 of which arrived via the Port of Subic.
The intensified enforcement effort follows a direct order from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to crack down on agricultural smuggling and protect the domestic food supply chain.
