10 M worth of firearms and motorcycles, nab by Customs x-ray

By Carmela Quidoles

Bureau of Customs together with Enforcement Group Deputy presented today the
confiscated shipment of different guns and ammunitions, used motorcycles, used
Plymouth automobile and foreign currency, which are estimated 10 million pesos in
worth, through their x-ray detection scanners.

Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales along with Enforcement Group Deputy

Commissioner Suansing Jr. and Chief of Customs Police Jose Yunchongco showed to the
media the illegal consignments.

The firearms (rifles, revolvers, pistols), ammunitions, a variety of collectors’ items coins
and bills, used 1999 Plymouth, used 1999 Harley Davidson and 1983 Kawasaki
motorcycles were stored in a forty-foot container van which arrived last February at
Manila International Container Port (MICP) from New York, USA.

These were detected through x-ray that was conducted by the MICP X-Ray Team.

The vehicles are indicated in the Bill of Lading, document issued describing the goods.
However, the shipment does not have a prior permit from the Bureau of Import Services
and Department of Trade and Industry. Therefore, it violates sections of the Presidential
Decree 1866 (includes basic firearms laws, rules, and regulations) and Tariff Customs
Code of the Philippines.

The shipment was seized by Lt. Victor Barrios and MICP District Commander Major
Marlon Alameda’s joint efforts, who determined that it contains undeclared and
undocumented articles.

Currently, the load is at Customs’ CFS 2 where it is sealed inside its container van, for
security purposes.

Long and short firearms, along with ammunitions were hidden in two small deposit boxes
and a Browning safety deposit cabinet.

The people who concealed the firearms and ammunitions in thick-walled boxes may have
assumed that it could pass the detection from the deep penetrating x-ray scanners.

A thorough investigation on the case was ordered by Commissioner Morales. He was

relieved that the firearms were seized which may possibly be used for election-related
violence or other politically motivated crimes.

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