Customs agents at the Bureau of Customs–Ninoy Aquino International Airport (BOC-NAIA) intercepted eight containers of live millipedes hidden inside a shipment misdeclared as assorted consumer goods destined for the United Kingdom.
According to the bureau’s statement, the parcel declared items such as juice powder mix, face masks, wooden jewelry boxes, instant noodles, delicacies, plastic photo frames and craft items when it arrived at a warehouse in Pasay City on November 19.
The shipment was flagged by the BOC’s X-Ray Inspection Project (XIP) after screening detected irregularities in the scanned images.
After discovery, the wildlife specimens were handed over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for proper handling and disposition.
The bureau noted the incident constitutes violations under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (Republic Act 10863), specifically Section 1400 (Misdeclaration) and Section 1401 (Unlawful Importation/Exportation).
Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno commended personnel for their vigilance, saying the operation underscores the bureau’s enhanced capability to detect attempts to misdeclare goods—especially shipments involving wildlife species.
He added that the move aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen border protection and ensure strict customs compliance.