Monitoring in WV tightened vs possible rice smuggling
A boy looks at the different varieties of rice being
sold in a stall inside the Iloilo Central market.
Station chiefs of the 6th Maritime Police Office in Negros Occidental and Antique were ordered to closely monitor remote ports and piers within their area of responsibility for possible rice smuggling.
Likewise, an intense monitoring of the nautical highway connecting the town of Carles, Iloilo and Bantayan Island, Cebu City and the Hintutulo Island, which serves as the boundary of Roxas City and Masbate is also being done.
"We could not discount the idea that this, the weak and vulnerable points of our coast lines, might be used for the entry of imported rice," Supt. Cornelio R. Salinas, regional chief of the 6th Regional Maritime Office said.
Salinas said smugglers often employ the 'bombing' technique in unloading the goods if they will use the remote piers and ports.
He added that there will also be an intelligence fusion between the PNP Maritime Group, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Customs (BoC) for any movements of imported rice through the said entry points.
Salinas recalled the last time a smuggling case was reported was in the early 2000, which was done using a remote port in south Negros. (PNA)