MANILA — The Bureau of Customs filed six criminal complaints Tuesday against the owner and representatives of an importer, a licensed customs broker, Customs officials and other individuals over six shipments allegedly misdeclared as “chicken lollipops” to conceal agricultural products imported without required regulatory clearances.

The complaints were filed before the Department of Justice on Sept. 22, according to the BOC.

The shipments arrived in June 2025, were found during physical examinations to contain 15,029 sacks of fresh white onions and 2,164 boxes of fresh carrots, the bureau said.

The agricultural products were not covered by the required Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance from the Bureau of Plant Industry, according to the BOC.

The complaints allege violations of Section 1401, in relation to Sections 1400 and 117, of Republic Act 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. The provisions cover, among other offenses, fraudulent misdeclaration and the importation of regulated goods without required clearances.

The complaints against the Customs officials and personnel also cite Section 1431 of the law, which provides penalties for certain acts or omissions, including willful neglect of duties and conduct that enables another person to defraud the government or violate customs laws.

The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service has separately endorsed administrative charges against the concerned officials and personnel to the agency’s Prosecution and Litigation Division, the BOC said. The administrative proceedings will be conducted under the Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service.

BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said the agency would pursue cases against Customs personnel found to have participated in or facilitated illegal activities.

“Wala tayong pagtatakpan at hindi natin kukunsintihin ang anumang paglabag, lalo na kung may pagtatangkang abusuhin ang ating mga proseso,” Nepomuceno said. “Importer man, broker, o kawani ng Customs, kung may sapat na ebidensya, gagawin natin ang nararapat at ihaharap ang kaso sa tamang proseso. Ang pananagutan ay para sa lahat.”

The commissioner made the statement following a recent National Bureau of Investigation operation in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, which the BOC said implicated Customs personnel in the alleged smuggling of imported chicken meat.

With the latest complaints, the BOC said it has filed 96 criminal cases involving 288 respondents.

The bureau also reported seizures valued at 13.7 billion pesos from 2025 through 2026.