BOC Seizes ₱9M in Smuggled Sugar at Manila Port Amid Crackdown on Agricultural Smuggling

Authorities intercepted two unauthorized shipments of refined sugar valued at ₱9 million at the Port of Manila, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) announced Thursday.

The first shipment, discovered on May 23, contained 1,000 sacks of sugar from Thailand. Despite the importer being registered with the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), the shipment lacked the necessary import clearance and allocation, making it unauthorized.

A second shipment, which arrived on April 29, also from Thailand, included 1,040 bags labeled “sweet mixed powder” and had no permits from the SRA. Both were 20-foot container vans abandoned at the port.

The joint operations involved the BOC, SRA, Department of Agriculture (DA), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and other enforcement groups. A warrant of seizure was issued for violating Section 117 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and Sugar Order No. 6.

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio stressed that these crackdowns follow President Marcos Jr.’s directive to end agricultural smuggling. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the importers will be blacklisted and emphasized stricter implementation of the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law.

From January to May 19, the DA has already seized over ₱407 million worth of smuggled agricultural goods.