P8.65-M beauty products seized by Customs at NAIA

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said the NAIA Customs detected irregularities in the baggage when it passed the X-Ray machines after it was offloaded from the plane.

The baggage were from Bangkok. Thailand loaded in Philippine Airlines flight PR731 which arrived in the country on February 13.

Lapeña revealed that the baggage belongs to as  James Malinao Halasan, a resident of  11A16 Victoria 1 GMA Kamuning, Quezon City. The customs broker was identified as Isagani Cortez.

The parcels, weighing 927 kg. and 1,120 kg. filed under informal entry, showed image irregularities during the X-ray examination.

Lapeña said Customs personnel at the airport  physically examined the packages and found the misdeclared items in the presence of agents of the Enforcement and Security Service, X-ray Inspection Project, and Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force.

The BOC-NAIA had also placed on hold another shipment of Halasan that was declared as personal effects but was suspected to contain the same misdeclared beauty products.

Lapeña said the seized  products did not pass the Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines which would mean, it did not pass Philippine standard and could have been illegally manufactured at source.

“Hindi ko alam ano ang epekto nimo sa mga gagamit kasi walang FDA approval,” Lapeña stressed.

“The value of the remaining 501 kg. will be determined once the inventory is done,” Lapena said, adding that it would be subject to seizure for violation of section 1400 of Republic Act No. 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

Lapeña lauded the men and women of NAIA led by  lawyer Phillip Maronilla, he said “We will continue to strictly monitor shipment from foreign countries.-Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline.ph