Gov’t to go after tax evaders, smugglers

[samsungster]

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sana naman!!

[gorio!]

d government should fix their own problems with corrupt officials first, tingale sila ra pud ang mo profit ani mga move

[t3ChNo™]

unahon jud ang naa dha sa pwesto nga kurakot

[ryan22]

cge lang ug pagarpar nya next month ma hilom napud..

NINGAS KUGON ra gihapon....as usual..

[grabehbebe]

BoC seizes P30M smuggled goods

http://www.tribune.net.ph/metro/20060425met3.html

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) yesterday ordered the immediate seizure of some P30 million worth of suspected smuggled goods as part of the government’s Run After the Smugglers (Rats) program.

Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales led the presentation of the contraband consisting of 29 containers of tiles and four containers of used clothing, “Maling� and dialysis equipment.

Morales ordered the confiscation of the 29 containers of highly-dutiable tiles under Alert Order A/ES/20060309-101, 102 and A/ES/20060310-101 which arrived on Feb. 28 from Hong Kong. The shipment which was valued at P15 million, were consigned to F.R. Tecson General Merchandise with address at 970 P. Paredes St., Sampaloc, Manila.

But Enforcement and Security Service director Gen. Nestorio Gualberto said he instructed Maj. Isabelo Tibayan III, chief of Operations and Intelligence Office to monitor the movement of the said shipment and determine if the address given by the consignee is correct.

In his investigation, Tibayan said the consignee violated Section 2530 of the Tariffs and Customs Code of the Philippines (TCCP) and the address given by F.R. Tecson is non-existent as certified by the barangay chairman in the area.

Meanwhile, some P15 million worth of shipments consigned to Dan Ville Forwarders, Kingsland Agro Trading and EG Healthcare Inc., were also ordered forfeited in favor of the government for various violations of the TCCP.

Rats executive director Reynaldo Umalis said Dan Ville Forwarders shipment declared as 275 packages of completely-knocked-down furnitures actually contained used clothing worth P3 million, while Kingsland Agro Trading’s shipment declared as canned mushrooms contained Maling brand luncheon meat worth P7 million.

EG Healthcare’s shipment, on the other hand, declared as two units of Nikkiso Hemodialysis System contained eight units of the same model/type. It is estimated to worth around P5 million.

The importation of used clothing more popularity known as ukay-ukay is prohibited under Republic Act 5654. Misdeclaration of shipment, which is a form of technical smuggling, on the other hand, constitutes a violation of Section 3602 of the TCCP.

Morales said his office is now preparing criminal charges against the consignees of the confiscated contrabands, adding he is leaving no stone unturned in his campaign against smugglers. Komfie Manalo

[t3ChNo™]

asa sd kha na padong ang mga smuggled nga items nga ma intercept nila?

[grabehbebe]

Anti-smuggling team goes hi-tech, looks out for WMD

The government’s team against smuggling will install electronic surveillance systems using container x-ray machines to speed up examination of cargo, as well as detect the presence of firearms, drugs or weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Task Force Anti Smuggling (TFAS) executive director and Bureau of Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said the move is part of the government’s campaign against “economic saboteurs� and terrorists.

Morales said his team will monitor the “socially sensitive goods, particularly drugs, arms and ammunitions� in all major ports in the country.

“The system is not only for business but also for the government’s antiterrorism drive,� Morales stressed. “This will enable our Customs authorities to get advance information on smuggled goods even before they are unloaded at the ports.�

Also to be established is Automated Customs Operating System where import declarations can be scanned on a real time basis, providing intelligence analysts with vital information to detect possible violations.

The TFAS will also pursue international initiatives to widen the base of its activities.

“We are now in the process of conducting bilateral agreements with major trading partners such as China, South Korea, Japan, United States and the European Union. We hope to establish cooperation on trade information sharing as well as funding support for antismuggling drive,� said Morales, who expedited the purchase of the x-ray machines from Beijing.

With the use of the machines, it will only take five minutes, instead of the usual five hours, to inspect cargo shipments in the major ports of Manila, Batangas and Cebu.

The Customs Enforcement and Security Service unit headed by director Nestorio Gualberto is presently monitoring shipments from high-risk countries such as the US (for firearms smuggling), African states [elephant tusk], Afghanistan, China, Malaysia and Thailand [for counterfeit products and drugs such as opium and shabu].

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed Executive Order 509 reorganizing the Task Force Anti Smuggling, which was created two years ago through EO 385.



By Joel Zurbano
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?...2_april28_2006

[arjay_cutie]

cant they pay their tax? wala ba na sila makahunahuna nga para sa ato ning tanan?? gi pa andar ang ilang pagkalaog

[grabehbebe]

Revived task force seizes 17 container vans

TASK Force Anti-Smuggling operatives seized 17 container vans of assorted items from China, Taiwan and Korea during a surprise inspection outside the Manila International Container Port and South Harbor late last week.

This is the first operation conducted by TFAS since it was reorganized last March, TFAS head and Bureau of Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said in a press statement.

The authorities, led by BoC-TFAS executive officer Alexander Arcilla, seized the shipments after they were erroneously declared and undervalued.

“Our initial operation should serve as a strong message to importers, brokers and retailers that we at TFAS mean business. Smugglers can run, but we can catch up with them especially with the support of other government and law enforcement agencies,� said Morales.

Morales said the operation could not have been a success without the help of members of the Manila Police District. He added that 10 containers were seized at MICP while the seven others were from South Harbor.

Among the seized items were hardware accessories, motorcycle parts, electrical equipment and computer products.

Morales said TFAS, composed of men from the Armed Forces, Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Philippine Coast Guard, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, National Prosecution Service and Philippine Ports Authority, is going after people and groups involved in technical smuggling as well as illegal high-seas importing.

The group has also tapped various organizations, including the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philippine Exporters Confederation, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Federation of Philippine Industries to help them in curbing smuggling in the country.

“This is interagency and government and private sector cooperation at its best,� Morales said. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on March 15 signed Executive Order 509 reorganizing TFAS, which was created two years ago through EO 385. The President also designated Morales as the head of the task force.

During their first organizational meeting, members of TFAS agreed to develop a working plan that will identify immediate and priority targets. Other points of discussion were the task force’s mandate, organization and key strategies on intelligence and operations.

TFAS is also establishing a regional strategy that will cover all 14 ports, as well as subports, around the country.


---- By Joel E. Zurbano
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?...e03_may04_2006

[baron]

This operation acted upon by the government only shows its serious efforts to fight tax evaders and smugglers as it only creates imbalance to the economy. As much as it prejudiced the tax payers of the land, it is a must that the government should detect such scrupulous persons who go against the rule of law.

This is just another effort of the government to prove that they have not stopped in their initiatives to go after tax evaders and smugglers. Big time smugglers will be dealt with strict implementation of the law as what we have seen with Samuel Lee and those operations in 168 malls.