15 hours ago
BOC seizes more than 250k liters of smuggled fuel in La Union
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) impounded a tanker with around P219.5 million worth of smuggled fuel in La Union.
On Saturday, the BOC said the operation was conducted following reports of a 'paihi' modus, or illegal fuel transfer, at the La Union Port.
'The MT Bernadette was in the process of transferring diesel fuel to a lorry truck when our team apprehended them at around 9:45 in the evening of June 19. Two lorry trucks were found containing diesel fuel from the motor tanker,' BOC-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Services Director Verne Enciso said.
The BOC said initial inventory showed there were 200,000 liters of diesel fuel, with an additional 59,000 liters of fuel in two lorry trucks.
Ten crew members on board the vessel were unable to show legal justification for their activity.
In addition to the crew members, authorities apprehended 11 other individuals who served as drivers, porters, lookouts, and accomplices.
The owners, ship captain, and crew of the MT Bernadette and lorry trucks, and the owner of the seized diesel fuel will face administrative and criminal charges for violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law. — Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News
