DAVAO CITY —– The Bureau of Customs (BOC) claimed it intercepted a total of 146,000 liters of smuggled and unmarked fuel amounting to millions of pesos in Mariveles, Bataan on Saturday.
In a press statement, the agency revealed that they also impounded the motorized tanker used to transport the fuel, according to a press statement.
Customs Director Verne Enciso said the estimated value of the fuel and 16 lorry trucks is placed at PHP88 million, while the vessel is PHP60 million.
The operation in Barangay Alas Asin was carried out by agents of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service at the Manila International Container Port and National Bureau of Investigation – Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division following a tip.
The statement quoted Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said, their agents immediately proceeded to an anchorage area “Upon receiving information that there were several vessels carrying alleged smuggled fuel and thereafter being transferred to lorry trucks. A significant challenge in this operation is that this happened in a private port without BOC personnel, so the intel we received is critical.”
,
