Bureau of Customs confiscated the shipment from Japan believing its package were machines for making shabu

Miami
September 26, 2008
Story: Bureau of Customs confiscated the shipment from Japan believing its package were machines for making shabu

The Bureau of Customs has confiscated, September 25 the shipment from Japan believeing that its contents were machines for making methamphetamine or commonly known as shabu.

The shipment arrived last September 16 it came from Nihon Kensho Co. Ltd from Osaka, Japan addressed to Nissan Seiko Corp.

Vernie Enciso, Special Assistant to the Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said that during the inspection they found out machines that are commonly used for making shabu.

“The PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) have lists on the machines that should be banned in our country. In their (Nissan Seiko) shipment like laboratory oven, test tubes, burners and other apparatuses that are really alike to what should be banned,” Encisio said.

He also said that they also found some Chinese medicines and these are already under investigation of PDEA to check if the medicines are chemicals for shabu.

He said that with the equipment seen at the container, it can make a mini shabu laboratory.

Enciso added that the container is under their custody and still waiting for the investigation of the PDEA and Customs police.

Meanwhile, the Nissan Seiko Corporation wants the BOC to publicly apologize on them for “damaging our name.”

The company also clarified that their supplier the Nihon Kensho Co., Ltd from Osaka, Japan, already admitted, “We are admitting that these are our shipment, however, when it was opened it appeared some goods which are not part of what has been declared. So initially, there are misdeclarations. That misdeclarions was corrected by the letter which was sent by the Japanese supplier, saying that there was an error on their part,” Yolly dela Cruz said, President of Nissan Seiko.

On her narration, dela Cruz said that the shipment arrived September 16, then it was opened on September 19 to checked the contents inside. It found out that there are undeclared items.

Jovy Odeshile, the licence customs broker of the Nissan Seiko informed the company that there are items that are not included on their list.

Dela Cruz informed their supplier about it, on their letter it said that “We found that the sugina and yomogi marinating powder is not included in the container, instead a bottle of tables are loaded.”

In their reply, Nihon Kensho admitted its mistake.

Odeshile even wrote to the Director of Enforcement Security Service of BOC, General Nicasio Radovan, informing him that the error was made by the supplier and not by the Nissan Seiko.

Then they scheduled for a 100% examination dated September 24, however, day after the BOC declared that the shipment is confiscated.

Nissan Seiko said that the BOC are not yet finish with the investigation but they are already announcing that their shipment is for illegal use. “That is a false accusation and we want them to apologize to us.”

They are also explaining that for 18 years that they are in business, this is the first time that they encounter such problem.