SIX CONTAINERS holding misdeclared onion and mackerel imported from China were intercepted at the ports, with the consignees possibly liable for economic sabotage, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday.
Consignees had declared the shipments from China as egg noodles, spring rolls, and dumplings.
Three of the containers held about 74 metric tons of fresh red onion valued at about P10.3 million. One container had yellow onion worth P3.82 million, and two others contained frozen mackerel valued at between P13 million and P20 million.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. cited possible violations of the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, which is triggered when the value of smuggled or hoarded goods exceeds P10 million.
The consignee for two of the onion shipments was Latinx Consumer Goods Trading, while the remaining four — the one with yellow onion and three with mackerel — were consigned to Lexxa Consumer Goods Trading.
“What they are doing is putting an outer layer, thinking that our risk management system will just tag them for normal examination and will not inspect the contents,” Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip C. Maronilla told reporters.
Mr. Laurel said the newly seized onions and the illegally imported red onion found at a Manila market last month could be connected.
The red onion flagged at the Paco Market in Manila in early June tested positive for E. coli.
Mr. Laurel said the government has blacklisted 18 companies this year for smuggling onion and frozen fish, and added that another 59 containers from five companies were being held at Subic port pending inspection. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
