Authorities intercepted a shipment of smuggled sugar and cigarettes worth nearly P90 million in Metro Manila, as the government enforces stronger crackdown on agricultural and tobacco smuggling.
Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Bureau of Customs (BOC), in coordination with the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and other agencies, seized two separate shipments containing a total of 100 tons of illicit sugar.
One container held 1,000 bags, or about 50 tons, of refined sugar from Thailand, while another 50 tons of sweet powder from Vietnam, declared as “sweet mix powder,” was found to contain 88 percent sugar.
“These were likely bound for Metro Manila, either to be used by manufacturers or sold directly at retail for higher profits,” said SRA administrator Pablo Luis Azcona.
The seized sugar was also found to pose a potential public health risk, following results analysis showing that the sweeteners showed traces of bacteria, making them possibly unfit for human consumption.
