Sports car and motorcycles shipped as “used bicycles” seized at Manila port

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Customs in Manila Seize Sports Car & Motorcycles Shipped as “Used Bicycles” – www.plnmedia.com

Surplus shippers, shipping used bicycles into the Philippines have been caught adding in a couple of other items other than bicycles – including a Subaru sports car and several Honda motorcycles.

The Bureau of Customs at the Manila Container Port caught the shipment after it was declared to be full of used bicycles – instead they discovered a few additions.

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BOC said the shipment arrived at the port from Japan and was declared as 873 used bicycles – the container is consigned to Panda Vine International Trading.

The unit contained a right-hand drive Subaru WRX 2000cc sports car, 13 Honda and two Yamaha motorcycles – including motorcycle parts and other various car parts.

For those in the know – it is illegal to import right-hand drive cars into the Philippines under Republic Act #8506.

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It has been found that Panda Vine International Trading does not have the necessary permits to import motor vehicles as well.

Meanwhile another container shipment declared as ‘computer parts’ actually contained complete sets of computers.

“Under Section 2503 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, any discrepancy between what was declared and what was found that exceeds 30 percent is gross undervaluation, which constitutes prima facie fraud,” the BOC said.

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“We will not let-up on our drive to go after these smugglers. Let this be a lesson to all importers and brokers that any misdeclaration or undervaluation made on import entries is a form of technical smuggling and will be dealt with accordingly,” said BOC Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement Ariel Nepomuceno.