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Some 50,000 kilograms of smuggled onions that were classified in import permits as bread and pastries were intercepted and confiscated by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) Port in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
The BOC said in a statement that its personnel, along with their counterparts from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency were able to prevent the shipment of two containers of smuggled onions on Wednesday.
The Customs said the confiscated 50,000 kilograms of onions came from China and arrived in Cagayan de Oro on Dec. 6, 2022.
“Onions are being sold at higher prices in our local markets. This should not have been a predicament for an agricultural country like us,” BOC Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz said.
“The more empowered these people feel about smuggling these products, the more our economy will suffer. So, we cannot let that happen because the people will be the most affected,” he added.
Earlier this month, authorities also seized around 100,000 kilograms or 100 metric tons of smuggled white onions at the Manila International Container Port.
— Ronald Espartinez