Sen. JV Ejercito wants jail time for agricultural smugglers

Senator JV Ejercito is pushing for stricter enforcement of anti-smuggling laws, advocating for jail time for perpetrators, not just seizure of goods.

Ejercito expressed concern that despite billions of pesos worth of agricultural goods being seized over the years, there have been no significant convictions, leading to a lack of fear among smugglers.

The Bureau of Customs filed over 250 cases related to agricultural smuggling between 2018 and 2024, with a value of P8.59 billion.

A recent Senate inquiry revealed that the illegal use and sale of import licenses for smuggled agricultural goods have continued to undermine the farm sector.

Berches Consumer Goods Trading admitted to lending its trader's license for P500, and was linked to P59 million worth of shipments of carrots and white onions misdeclared as "chicken poppers."

Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno described such cases as "classic examples" of consignees-for-hire, where small traders act as fronts for bigger players.