May 17, 2004

 

 

E.U. Mistakenly Returns Toxic Shrimp To Manila

 

At least nine container vans of smuggled shrimps from China were recently sent by the European Union to the Philippines after they were found to have high concentration of antibiotics, which may cause fatal diseases, the National Antismuggling Task Force (NASTF) said on Sunday.

 

The task force said the container vans, which were actually smuggled in by some groups from China, are currently in the Port of Manila and will be inspected by NASTF chief Angelo Reyes this week.

 

Two troubling implications are posed by the report: one, Manila was effectively "framed" by the smugglers because it has been mistakenly identified by the EU as the source of the shrimp, only because the shrimp was transhipped from here in order to take advantage of the Philippines¡¯ better record with the EU when it comes to aquatic exports. Second, local authorities are checking out the possibility that some of the shrimp may have found their way into the local market.

 

Col. Danilo Servando, NASTF spokesman, said the shipment was part of the 60 container vans from Ningbo, China, which illegally arrived in Manila between March 11 and July last year, en route to Hamburg, Germany.

 

Quoting a report from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), Servando said an anomaly "made the shipment appear to originate from RP and not from China, which is why the containers were returned to RP."

 

Servando said the smugglers made it appear that the shipment originated from the Philippines by storing it at the Port of Manila for a long time.

 

The shrimps were laden with antibiotics to prolong their shelf life.

 

"The shipment was made to appear as having originated from the country to gain entry to Germany because aquatic goods exports, especially shrimp, from China do not pass the stringent standards set by the EU and to take advantage of the preferential trade perks that aquatic exports from the Philippines enjoy in the EU," said Servando.

 

EU authorities intercepted the shipments en route to Germany, saying they were "found to have high concentrations of a harmful antibiotic that causes fatal diseases and aplastic anemia in a proportion of people exposed to it."

 

Later investigation revealed the contraband is part of a larger shipment from China.

"However, according to CIIS, some of the containers may have found their way into the local market," added Servando.

 

Servando said Reyes has ordered a "thorough investigation on the matter to prevent the illegal entry of goods which may pose health risks, and to identify the persons liable for this leakage and anomaly."

 

"The government, while maintaining food security, is keeping a close eye on agricultural and livestock imports from other countries for health concerns that these imports may bring about," Servando said.