Smuggling probe holds up Balikbayan boxes to Manila

DUBAI Hundreds of “balikbayan” (homecoming) boxes sent home by Filipino expatriates in the UAE have been held back by Manila port authorities due to a foiled attempt to smuggle tyres and wheel rims, XPRESS has learnt.

Customers of a Dubai-based cargo company have lodged complaints against a door-to-door courier over non-delivery of personal effects. Shippers have come down hard on Grace Express Cargo for massive delays in the delivery of their consignments.

Importers of tyres and automobile parts (new or used) are required to obtain prior approval from the Bureau of Import Services in Manila to bring in goods, which the victimised shippers said is not their problem.

Rosal Lachica, 32, has filed a complaint against the courier firm with the Philippine Shippers Bureau (PSB), a shipping industry watchdog in Manila, and Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai. She said her cargo was undelivered until August 19, though it was picked up from Dubai on April 3.

“When I called them at the end of May, they [courier firm] promised to deliver it within a week. But my box is still with them,” she told XPRESS, adding she had lodged a complaint with authorities in Dubai and Manila. Lachica’s consignment includes food, personal items, footwear and electronic appliances.

Leah Abadiano, a real estate staff in Dubai, said her box was picked up on February 28, but it was delivered to her home in Quezon City only on June 7.

Danny, another customer from Dubai, said: “We used to send parcels through them [Grace Express] regularly. But out of the three boxes we sent in April, only two have been delivered till now.”

Cloyd Dimalanta, a Filipino engineer who sent two boxes, said: “They’ve ruined my vacation plans, especially for my kids, because I had toys in those boxes.”

However, some customers are not disappointed with the company. Che, a Filipina accountant, said that out of the two boxes she sent to her family in Mindanao via Grace Express in March, only one box has arrived while the other one has been held up. “I still trust them — at least they are communicating with us. I’ve been sending parcels through them since 2008. The situation has been made worse by those who are unable to wait for their cargo to reach home.”

Fernando Santos, the manager of Grace Express, apologised to customers and explained that an attempt by a shipper to smuggle tyres and wheel rims is what caused this delay.

“An electronic scanner flagged down a 40-foot container carrying the rims and tyres. It was part of 224 boxes in that container, so the entire shipment was delayed, resulting in penalties,” he said.

The fiasco caused a massive backlog and financial losses for the company. “I apologise and thank our customers for their understanding,” he said adding he’s trying to sell personal property to clear the remaining penalties.