BOC chief vows no let-up in drive vs agricultural smuggling

October 14, 2026 | 12:00am

At a Senate hearing, Sen. Francis Pangilinan praised the Bureau of Customs, Department of Agriculture (DA) and Philippine Navy for intercepting two cargo vessels carrying around 20,000 metric tons of rice from Vietnam, with an estimated value of P700 million.

STAR / File

MANILA, Philippines —  Operations against agricultural smuggling will not weaken, Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno assured the public yesterday.

At a Senate hearing, Sen. Francis Pangilinan praised the Bureau of Customs, Department of Agriculture (DA) and Philippine Navy for intercepting two cargo vessels carrying around 20,000 metric tons of rice from Vietnam, with an estimated value of P700 million.

“We will not allow smugglers to take advantage of our ports for their illegal activities while our farmers are affected. This involves a sizable sum and all the more that we would strengthen our monitoring and cooperation with the DA and other agencies,” Nepomuceno said.

Questionable documents and canceled sanitary and phytosanitary permits had led to the shipments’ seizure.

Authorities intercepted M/V Tay Son 2 on Sept. 17 and MV Lucky Star on Sept. 21.

Tay Son 2 carried 12,500 MT of rice, while Lucky Star had 7,500 MT.

Based on the initial investigation, Pangilinan said it was possible there was a violation of the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act of 2024.