Officials of the Bureau of Customs on Wednesday filed criminal cases against 3 smugglers and 1 customs broker for alleged "swing operations" at the Tagoloan sub-port in Misamis Oriental. Handout

MANILA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday filed criminal cases against 3 smugglers and 1 customs broker for alleged "swing operations" at the sub-port of Tagoloan in Misamis Oriental.

Under "swing operations," the bureau said shipments are released without filing an import entry, bypassing the required payment of duties and taxes.

The bureau charged Mave Trading and its owner Meljane Mejos for allegedly importing used clothing, which is prohibited under Republic Act 4653, and smuggling five container vans of onions, a violation of the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act.

It also charged JDan Trading, which allegedly attempted to smuggle 2,167 bags of sugar declared as pre-fabricated steel in two container vans worth P4.89 million.

General Success Merchandise was also charged for purportedly trying to smuggle a misdeclared shipment of 2,316 bags of sugar in 4 container vans worth P4.499 million.

The bureau, meanwhile, charged customs broker Raul de Leon Jr. for allegedly assisting all three consignees in their attempt to defraud the government.

Authorities said an investigation is ongoing, while 11 BOC employees have been relieved from their posts and 5 have been charged with administrative cases and preventively suspended.

The charges are part of the BOC's intensified campaign against contraband, which has resulted in successive busts in ports around the country. 

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