Government agents seized a fuel tanker and four lorries at the Port of Batangas while they were in the act of transferring smuggled fuel, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) announced on Thursday.
Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio commended his team from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) and Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) for their successful operation in cracking down on the illegal transfer of fuel, known as the “paihi” modus.
The estimated value of the seized items from the latest operation held on Tuesday evening was P402 million, which includes the marine tanker, the four lorries, and the smuggled fuel.
Fuel marking testing revealed that the fuel did not have proper markings indicating payment of duties and taxes. This prompted the Port of Batangas to issue a Warrant of Seizure and Detention against the subject fuel, vessel, and lorries.
Rubio emphasized that “the operation was part of the agency’s intensified crackdown against rampant fuel pilferage in the ports, and it was a result of months of monitoring and the commitment of our officers to their mandate.”
“Our operation against these individuals and groups is not a one-time thing,” he said.
CIIS Director Verne Enciso, whose team led the operation along with the ESS team, stated that they have been monitoring the paihi modus for some time.
“When we received the information about the illegal activities, we immediately verified it through our sources and made plans to inspect the port. Our coordination with the local port officers and enforcement units led us to MTKR Cassandra, which we caught in the act of transferring fuel products into the lorries on Tuesday night,” he said.
Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy said further investigation showed that the two lorry trucks contained 40,000 liters and 14,000 liters of unmarked fuel, respectively. The other two were empty but nonetheless seized, along with an L300 van, which were being used to consummate the fuel smuggling.
The operation came a month following the seizure made by CIIS assigned at the Manila International Container Port against two fuel tankers for alleged involvement in the same modus at the Navotas Fish Port.
“We have been cracking down on these organizations and individuals. But I must commend especially our people on the ground for ensuring information remains protected so that these groups are not tipped off and thereby avoid arrest,” said Uy.
The seized vessels, fuel, and lorries’ owners, ship captain, and crew will face possible charges for violating specific sections of Republic Act 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), and Republic Act 10963, the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.
