FIVE trucks and a tanker carrying around 136,000 liters of what authorities believe is smuggled diesel fuel were seized in Mariveles, Bataan on Saturday evening, Dec. 16, by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Bureau of Customs (BOC).
Operatives of the NBI-Anti Organized and Transnational Crimes Division (AOTCD) and the BOC saw 16 fuel trucks at the private establishment they raided.
Authorities confiscated five of the trucks that were already loaded with the allegedly smuggled fuel.
They also seized M/T Lorna-2, which was carrying from 80,000 to 100,000 liters of fuel, said BOC Special Agent 1 Lesster Kibanoff.
The seized fuel has an estimated value of P147.48 million.
A spectrometer test found that the fuel M/T Lorna-2 is carrying does not have the chemical markers present in legally imported fuel.
“Gabi na namin pinasok ito, at ‘yung pagpasok natin, nagkaroon ng habulan… ‘Yung dalawang barko, naabutan namin nandito nagdi-diskarga at nakapila ang mga trak. Na-confirm natin na ‘yung 16 na trak dito, lima dito ay nakargahan na,” said lawyer Mark Santiago, executive officer at NBI-AOTCD.
“Mabilis sila, operations nila. Kapag nag-operate sila, sarado lahat ng ilaw nila… Iimbestigahan natin at kakasuhan ang mga dapat kasuhan. May mga truck driver na iniwan na ‘yung truck nila,” Santiago also said.
The establishment that was raided was operating as a repair site for ships and boats, based on its registration in Barangay Alas-Asin, he said.
“Nakita natin na may illegal activities. Iniimbestigahan natin ang may-ari ng property,” the official said.
The customs bureau in October this year seized 40,000 liters of allegedly smuggled fuel in the Port of Limay, also in Bataan
SMUGGLING RING INVOLVED?
NBI is investigating whether the operations in Mariveles were being run by a large smuggling ring.
“Ang report ay hindi lang dito sila nag-o-operate sa pier na ito. Mayroon silang ibang pier na ginagawa rin ang illegal activities na ito,” Santiago said.
He added: “Noong pinasok natin ito, makikita mo na sanay sila sa ginagawa nila.“
Jovan Lugtu, an intelligence officer at the BOC, said they are still trying to determine where the smuggled fuel is from.
“Katulad ng sinabi ni Attorney Mark, nahirapan natin pasukin, ‘yung dilim, kasanayan ng mga taong gumagawa rito, mga kagamitan natin – kung mayroon sana tayong nakaabang din sa dagat baka nahabol,” Lugtu said in an interview.
Twenty-two truck drivers, helpers, and workers are currently detained for inquest proceedings. They may face complaints related to smuggling.
Samples of the confiscated fuel will be sent to Subic, Zambales for confirmatory testing.
The seized vehicles, meanwhile, will be turned over to the Port of Limay. (ABS-CBN News)
