Smuggled Formula 3 car, 14 other vehicles seized

By JONAS REYES

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT— A Formula 3 race car and 14 other vehicles were seized yesterday by the Subic Bay Anti-Smuggling Task Force headed by Gen. (ret.) Jose Calimlim and Subic Customs Collector Marietta Zamoranos.

The seizure took place during the visit here of Deputy Customs Commissioner Celso Templo and Nestorio Gualberto, chief of the Enforcement and Security Service-Customs Police District (ESSCPD).

Contrabands worth some R20 million were found in five 40-foot container vans, four of which contained four vehicles each.

One container van contained only the Formula 3 race car together with its accessories. This container van was declared to contain only used automotive spare parts worth $2,000.
The Formula 3 race car, valued at R3 million, was shipped from Gotemba City, Japan. The alleged consignee of the shipment is Miguel Ramirez of Sports Values Inc. (SVI), who is said to be a son of racing legend Pocholo Ramirez.

Two other vans which contained eight cars were abandoned apparently due to inadequate import documents and due to violations of Customs laws.

The last two container vans contained six utility vehicles and were consigned to Global International (Subic) Philippines Inc., a Freeport locator.

Deputy Customs Commissioner Templo said, "we are really going after these people committing these violations because that is our marching orders, especially with General Calimlim, General Gualberto and Collector Zamoranos. We have to put a stop to all forms of smuggling if we can."

In a letter of apology sent by SVI to Calimlim, Ramirez stated, "it is most regretful and unfortunate that in our desire to be helpful to our sports colleagues, Mr. Johnny Tan of Team Toyota Tom’s and Mr. Nobuaki Adachi of Adachi Motor Sports (AMS), we have innocently subjected ourselves to this technical implication."