MANILA: The Customs bureau foiled the importation of used clothing and rags locally referred to as “ukay-ukay” worth P1 million at the Mindanao Container Terminal in Misamis Oriental.
Enforcement Group (EG) Deputy Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) recommended the seizure of the shipment from South Korea, according to a statement issued yesterday.
On Feb. 10, Mr. Nepomuceno alerted the BoC of the suspicious importation based on derogatory information received. The bureau then found 258 bundles of used clothing and rags upon examining the shipment on Feb. 12.
Republic Act (RA) No. 4653 prohibits the importation of used clothing and rags for commercial purposes to “safeguard the health of the people and maintain the dignity of the nation.”