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Advocates Philippines
Agricultural Smuggling Filed Against MV Sunward Crew
Photo credit: DA
The Philippine government has charged the captain and crew of the M/V SUNWARD with agricultural smuggling cases after a joint inspection by the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Bureau of Customs (BOC), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) uncovered a massive P400 M worth of smuggled sugar on the vessel.
The shipment, which originated from Thailand and was consigned to Stone International Co., Ltd., lacked the necessary import permit issued by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and the notice of arrival from the BOC, according to the DA Inspectorate and Enforcement (DA IE). The vessel was intercepted in the vicinity of Bauan and Mabini Bay, Batangas on January 13, despite the crew's claims that it was bound for Taiwan.
Further investigation by the National Coast Watch Center (NCWC) revealed that the AIS transponder of the vessel had been turned off within the Spratly Islands, indicating that the contraband was, in fact, en route to Batangas.
The 4,000 MT of smuggled white refined sugar on board the M/V SUNWARD was confiscated by the authorities, and the captain and crew, composed of one Filipino, six Indonesian, and seven Chinese nationals, are now facing agricultural smuggling charges in the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Batangas City.
DA Assistant Secretary James A. Layug confirmed that the case is now pending with the Prosecutor's Office for preliminary investigation. The charges against the M/V SUNWARD crew are part of the government's revitalized anti-smuggling campaign, which aims to curb the entry of contraband goods, including agricultural products, into the country.
The shipment, which originated from Thailand and was consigned to Stone International Co., Ltd., lacked the necessary import permit issued by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and the notice of arrival from the BOC, according to the DA Inspectorate and Enforcement (DA IE). The vessel was intercepted in the vicinity of Bauan and Mabini Bay, Batangas on January 13, despite the crew's claims that it was bound for Taiwan.
Further investigation by the National Coast Watch Center (NCWC) revealed that the AIS transponder of the vessel had been turned off within the Spratly Islands, indicating that the contraband was, in fact, en route to Batangas.
The 4,000 MT of smuggled white refined sugar on board the M/V SUNWARD was confiscated by the authorities, and the captain and crew, composed of one Filipino, six Indonesian, and seven Chinese nationals, are now facing agricultural smuggling charges in the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Batangas City.
DA Assistant Secretary James A. Layug confirmed that the case is now pending with the Prosecutor's Office for preliminary investigation. The charges against the M/V SUNWARD crew are part of the government's revitalized anti-smuggling campaign, which aims to curb the entry of contraband goods, including agricultural products, into the country.
Feb 18, 2023
