LTO chief to smugglers: ‘Your days are numbered’

NEWLY-APPOINTED Land transportation Office (LTO) chief Alberto Suansing yesterday said the days of luxury car smugglers are numbered.

Suansing is confident that smuggling of luxury cars can be addressed once the LTO-Bureau of Customs interconnectivity becomes operational.

He said it is a marching order from the President to solve car smuggling “by hook or by crook.”

Suansing said President Arroyo wanted him to unmask the unscrupulous people behind these illegal activities which have been depriving the government billions of pesos in uncollected taxes annually.

He said his office is now closely coordinating with the BOC and the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) headed by Undersecretary Bebot Villar for the immediate implementation of the project.

He explained that this interconnectivity scheme would enable the three government agencies -- LTO, Boc and PASG -- to monitor the transactions of every importer bringing in imported vehicles, particularly luxury cars.

The new LTO chief is optimistic that this new system will effectively minimize if not totally eliminate smuggling activities in the different ports of the country. By: Jun Icban-Legaspi - Journal.com