The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) are now looking into the possibility that the store raided last June 26 may be distributing imitation/substandard car parts and accessories to other retailers in the country.
Last Friday, the BOC raided a compound at 419 Quirino Highway, Barangay Talipapa, Quezon City after receiving intelligence reports that Maxtro Marketing Corporation and Bestat Auto Parts Corporation were allegedly distributing imitation and inferior quality car parts and accessories.
Inside the five warehouses, the raid team recovered various spare parts, car accessories, truck parts, auto parts, and other items from known Japanese car manufacturers such as Toyota and Mitsubishi, all worth an estimated P150-million. Also found in the compound were several packaging materials imprinted with “Made in Japan.”
These items were allegedly smuggled from China, repacked, and passed off as manufactured in Japan. During the raid, the BOC spotted men loading car parts inside an already half-full 20-footer container bound for Cebu.
According to BOC- Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) intelligence officer Alvin Enciso of the Manila International Container Port (MICP), the agency is investigating the operations of the auto parts store, its five warehouses and the identity of the owner, a Filipino-Chinese businessman.
“If it would be proven that these retail stores in the provinces were aware of this modus and still sold car parts that were smuggled, substandard and fake, then they could also be made liable. All of these would be investigated by the BOC and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI),” Enciso added.
The BOC is currently finishing the inventory and is working with the DTI to verify and authenticate the seized items found at the store and warehouses. The BOC said that it is still waiting for the businessman to present documents that would help prove the legitimacy of the purchase of the car parts, spare parts and accessories. Aside from possible violation of Customs regulations, Enciso said selling substandard car parts was dangerous because these items “could cause road accidents and lead to deaths of the riding public.” – Evelyn Macairan
