MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday said it has seized P78.9 million worth of smuggled agricultural products at the Manila International Container Port (MICP), including red and white onions.

In a statement, the DA said it confiscated the said products in 4 separate operations between Dec. 27 and Jan. 5.

In the first operation last December, the DA seized 3 container vans with illegally imported fresh red and white onions worth P25.3 million.

Another operation on Jan. 3 yielded P27.8 million worth of contraband. Aside from onions, authorities also seized frozen pork stomach pouch cuts and frozen boneless beef shanks.

In both operations, the container vans were from Taculog J International Consumer Goods Trading, DA said.

The department also confiscated 3 container vans from Asterzenmed, Inc., containing smuggled red onions worth P23.58 million on Jan. 4.

The latest operation on Jan. 5 saw the seizure of P2.2 million worth of illegally imported fresh carrots, with the container vans also from Asterzenmed, Inc.

DA Assistant Secretary for Inspectorate and Enforcement James Layug said intelligence operations for shipments under the 3 consignees were ongoing.

The importers will be facing charges of violating the Food Safety Act of 2013 and the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016, the DA added.

The anti-smuggling operations came as Filipinos were reeling from the effects of inflation on agricultural products, especially red and white onions.

As of Jan. 10, onions cost P480 a kilogram in some major markets in Metro Manila.

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