DOJ starting onion smuggling probe next week

By Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) is poised to launch its own investigation into the alleged massive smuggling of onions into the country where consumers suffered extremely high prices of the spice last year.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) vowed to bolster proactive measures to combat agricultural smuggling. In a related development, a legislator appealed for the immediate passage of a bill declaring “large-scale” agricultural smuggling, hoarding, cartelization and profiteering, and other acts of market abuse as economic sabotage. The DOJ said it will summon officials of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to present documents on onion importations for the past decade for its formal investigation into the onion smuggling controversy.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the investigation on onion smuggling as ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will start next week.

Remulla said on orders of the President,