DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Over 300 tons of smuggled vegetables have been seized in a joint raid operation conducted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at an illegal warehouse in Navotas.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced on Friday that the operation followed a tip-off about the smuggled vegetables, which led to surveillance and the discovery of two separate cold storage facilities on Thursday night.
Initial reports from the raiding team revealed that one facility contained 132.75 tons of white onions, valued at PHP 21.2 million, while another held 89.89 tons of imported carrots worth approximately PHP 13.48 million. Additionally, the raid uncovered 360 kilos of tomatoes, 10 kilos of enoki mushrooms, and a 40-foot container van loaded with 92.25 tons of imported white onions.
Laurel emphasized the critical need to enforce laws against smuggling and unfair trade practices. “We cannot allow illegal trade practices like this to undermine the livelihoods of our farmers. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive is clear: we must relentlessly pursue these smugglers,” he said.
In response to the surplus of onions and carrots, Secretary Laurel has directed the Bureau of Plant Industry to suspend all import permits for these vegetables.
Laurel also commended the support of Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco and Congressman Toby Tiangco, highlighting their coordination with local police and barangay authorities.
“The assistance from Mayor John Rey and Congressman Toby was essential in protecting our farmers, who suffer due to smuggling and unfair trade practices. Smuggled agricultural goods not only harm our farmers but also pose health risks to Filipino consumers,” Laurel stated.
The Secretary urged the public to report any information on agricultural smuggling to him or other DA officials to safeguard the interests of Filipino farmers.
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DA, BOC discover 300 tons of smuggled vegetables
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