September 18, 2006
Philippines seizes shipment of frozen pork labeled as seafood
Philippines Bureau of Customs has seized some 32 million pesos (US$640,000) worth of frozen pork at the Manila International Container Port last week, Intelligence and Enforcement Group operatives Deputy Commissioner Celso Templo said.
The shipment from China, was labeled ¡°frozen fish, giant squid and mackerel.¡±
The frozen pork came in 10 containers in three separate shipments and were respectively consigned to three trading companies, Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said.
Smugglers now resort to misdeclaration due to the meat bans currently, Morales said, adding that measures against such imports have been intensified.
The Philippines currently bans meat imports from China due to foot-and-mouth disease and bird flu.
The owners of the shipments would be charged and the seized cargo would be disposed of.
The case follows a similar one last month when 11 million pesos (US$220,000) worth of frozen pork and chicken from China labeled as canned mackerel were seized.
Three Customs agents were fired for failing to escort the shipment to the consignee¡¯s warehouse for a thorough inspection.