MANILA: Bureau of Customs (BoC) agents uncovered Sunday misdeclared shipments of hundreds of iPhone worth R20 million at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
The shipment, according to Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, came from China and was bound for Fairview, Quezon City. But upon arrival at the MICP, BoC agents confirmed the alert they received a week ago about the shipment of high-end cellular phones.
Originally, the shipment was declared to be containing wall clock, furniture shoe rack, and some shoes, according to Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Director Neil Estrella.
However, when BoC agents examined the shipment, they found more or less 400 pieces of iPhones hidden and concealed in sacks mingled with the declared goods.
According to Estrella, the shipment was initially put on alert after lawyer Zsae Carrie de Guzman of the Intellectual Property Rights Division received reports for possible violation of Republic Act No. 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.
The shipment was placed under surveillance for a week until it arrived January from China on board vessel Elba Island V. 1700IS.
Faeldon said that the shipment was later put on hold until discovery.
