Stone
They declared the contents of the cargo containers as stone slabs, granite slabs, and ceiling and wall insulation slabs. But in the actual inspection, the shipments were found to be rice from Vietnam.
Alcoseba said that all the consignees mentioned by the BOC are not in the NFA master list of licensed rice retailers and wholesalers.
District Collector Edward dela Cuesta yesterday requested the NFA to provide them with the requirements for the public auction of the rice.
This is in line with the statement of Deputy Commissioner for Assessment and Operations Prudencio Reyes Jr. that the rice will be auctioned but they will require that the participating bidders shall be NFA-licensed rice business owners.
Alcoseba said they can only recommend the price of the rice but they have no power to intervene on how the smuggled rice will be disposed of.
Last month, Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon and Lim led the seizure of smuggled rice shipments in Cebu.
Alcoseba said that last April 2, the NFA recom
8 firms behind rice cargo may be fictitious
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) is investigating whether the consignees of a P600-million shipment of smuggled rice are fictitious or not, amid speculations the grains were brought in as a political fund-raising activity.
Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Danilo Lim said that once the smugglers are identified, all the evidence will be sent to the Run After the Smugglers (RATS) unit, which will work with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in filing criminal charges against them.
As this developed, Arneth Von Manquiquis, assistant supervisor of the BOC’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Cebu, said they have not yet started the inventory of more than 600,000 sacks of rice from Vietnam because they lack warehouse space.
Manquiquis said they may request the National Food Authority (NFA) to allow them to use the NFA warehouse at the Cebu International Port.
However, NFA Cebu Provincial Manager Nestor Rey Alcoseba said they are using their warehouse, which holds an inventory of about 400,000 sacks at present. The NFA has warehouses in Cebu City with a total capacity of 700,000 bags.
Besides, Alcoseba said, the NFA is also expecting the arrival of 500,000 sacks of rice by either the first week or the middle of May.
Alcoseba said the Port of Cebu can look for private warehouses instead.
Lim, for his part, said he cannot comment on whether a politician or party is involved in the rice smuggling, until their investigation is completed.
The CIIS, in a press statement, identified the consignees as JJM Global Trading, JM-ARS Trading, Neon Gateway Trading, Ocean Park Enterprises, Custans Enterprises, Melma Enterprises, NMW Enterprises and MMSM Trading.