| QUOTE |
| COMBINED operatives from the Bureau of Customs (BoC) and the Philippine Coast Guard have foiled an alleged smuggling attempt of imported rice and sugar into the country during the Lenten Break, authorities said Saturday. At least 18 container vans loaded with imported rice and sugar were intercepted and seized by customs and coastguard personnel at the North Harbor of the Manila Internal Container Port (MICP) last Wednesday. BoC Commissioner, Napoleon Morales declared the shipments as illegal after X-Ray machines revealed that the vans contained undocumented imported commodities. Documents said the vans contained local corn grains. The shipments were intercepted after the Coast Guard alerted the BoC as early as March 15 that 18 container vans were loaded aboard a Sulpicio Line vessel in Davao bound for Manila. The Coast Guard said that the container vans were loaded with imported items slipped into the country through the illegal backdoor routes. |