Customs, Transport seal deal on smuggling

The Bureau of Customs and the Land Transportation Office signed agreements yesterday to stop the smuggling of luxury vehicles.

One of the agreements seeks to prevent the registration of imported vehicles whose duties and taxes have not been paid.

Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said the agency will also check even cars on display in showrooms to see if they are properly documented.

“We are proud to say that we’re not only involved in the enforcement side but we also active in the policy making aspect of the anti-smuggling drive.”

LTO assistant secretary Reynaldo Berroya, Customs Deputy Commissioners Bernardo Sales and Reynaldo Nicolas joined Morales in the signing of the two agreements at the Manila Hotel in Port Area, Manila.

The first agreement provides for a one-stop shop to open at LTO to accommodate buyers in good faith who are willing to settle the deficiencies in duties and taxes on their vehicles. Buyers in good faith are defined in the agreement as those who bought their vehicles, unaware of the irregularity.

The other agreement requires LTO to provide Customs with records of newly registered imported vehicles.

Berroya said LTO will require clearance from Customs to make sure that proper duties and taxes are paid prior to registration. He added this will ensure that those with back taxes will not be able to register their vehicles unless they settle with the Customs first.

Morales said the agreement will enhance the post entry audit of the bureau to recover duties and taxes on imported automobiles. Joel E. Zurbano - Manila Standard Today