Customs seizes 2 Porsche cars
THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Thursday seized two second-hand luxury cars from Germany in violation of the country’s importation regulations.
Customs District III Collector Carmelita Talusan said the used vehicles, a Porsche Boxter S (with 200 kilometers travelled) and Porsche Panamera 4S (1000 kilometers travelled), had an estimated retail value of P10 million and P18 million, respectively.
Talusan said the vehicles arrived in the country via Malaysia Airlines on August 5, 2017, and consigned to Don Bosco Technical Institute of Makati, Inc. The vehicles have been sitting at the port since they were seized.
The two luxury cars, however, were abandoned at the MIASCOR warehouse near the NAIA, and Customs authorities later issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD).
Customs authorities said the importation of the two expensive cars was “allegedly intended for training purposes.”
However, Talusan, said, quoting the Import Regulations Division of Department of Trade and Industry, that the consignee of the two Porsche cars violated Executive Order 156, which prohibits the importation of used motor vehicles.
Talusan added, the consignee has no authority to import used motor vehicles, which was still required even if the intention was for training purposes.
“Only special purpose vehicles can have exemptions like fire trucks, ambulances, funeral hearses, crane lorries, boom trucks, tanker trucks, reefers, street sweepers, mixers, garbage compactors and special purpose trucks/vehicles,” Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said.
Lapeña said the luxury cars would undergo forfeiture proceedings and would be be destroyed.
Customs duty and taxes of the Porsche S was P5 million while Panamera 4S was
P7.5 million.
According to lawyer Erastus Sandino Austria, Customs spokesman, although the Porsche cars were placed under the WSD procedure, the consignee may file a letter of request for redemption, but which would be subject to approval. BENJIE L. VERGARA
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