Under the directive of the Department of Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez, the Bureau of Customs has tightened its guard against the possible misdeclaration or misclassification of importation of pork and pork products as the country grapples to sustain the supply of pork in the market.

The BOC on 9 February 2021 issued a memorandum order directing all ports to submit daily reports of importations of meat and poultry products for review and monitoring of shipments that may be violating the laws, rules, and regulations of the agency.

Also, the Bureau is implementing mandatory x-ray inspection of all reefer containers before its transfer from the ports to the Department of Agriculture's accredited cold storage facilities.

The implementation of the Electronic Tracking of Containerized Cargoes (ETRACC) enabled BOC to effectively curb and detect several attempts of diversion scheme of unscrupulous importers to avoid inspection by the DA officers. ETRACC ensures that reefer products are thoroughly inspected by DA officers before releasing for consumption.

Moreover, accreditation of importers and customs brokers were revoked, and criminal cases were filed before the Department of Justice against unscrupulous stakeholders for the alleged smuggling of meat and agricultural products.

Administrative investigations are also being conducted against BOC officials and personnel that are allegedly involved in illegal and irregular activities.

The Bureau of Customs is continuously coordinating with the officials of the Department of Agriculture at the national and regional levels to ensure border security and protection against unscrupulous importers of pork and other agricultural products. DMS