4 slightly used luxury cars seized at Subic Free Port

Criminal charges were filed by the joint Task Force Subic and Bureau of Customs at the Subic Free Port against a trading outfit based in Manila.

The charges came following the recovery by Task Force Subic, headed by retired Gen. Jose Calimlim, of four slightly used "luxury" cars valued at R4 million inside the 20-foot van shipment of the accused.

Calimlim told a radio interview over DZRB that the discovery came after Subic Port Customs Collector Tita Zamoranos issued a seizure and detention warrant order against the shipment which arrived from a neighboring country a month ago.

The dilly-dally by the trading firm-consignee to work for the release of the shipment made the Task Force Subic suspicious of the van’s content prompting the latter to put it on hold.

It was gathered that the shipment was declared to contain used vehicle spare parts.

"But to our surprise, four used luxury cars – a Pajero, BMW, Toyota Celica, and a Mirage – were found underneath big boxes in an apparent attempt to deceive the van’s content," Calimlim added.

Calimlim and Zamoranos said a case of technical smuggling has been slapped against the consignee. (Sel A. Baysa)