Illegal frozen mackerel shipment intercepted
The bureau of customs (BOC) in the Philippines recently intercepted 21 containers of frozen mackerel from China at Manila international container port (MICP) on 30 October, due to a lack of the import clearance required.
Valued at PHP 178.5 million (USD 3.0 million), the shipment was detained after the BOC’s customs intelligence and investigation service (CIIS) verified that the importer lacked the necessary sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPSIC) from the bureau of fisheries and aquatic resources (BFAR).
This move aligns with DA memorandum order no. 14, 2024, which suspends SPSICs for specific fish imports, including mackerel.
Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio and DA secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. inspected the seizure and emphasised the importance of import compliance for protecting local industries and consumer safety. MICP will issue warrants of seizure and detention for violations of the customs modernisation and tariff act, with further support from DA. (pb)