Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Friday led the inspection of two container vans carrying an estimated 34 metric tons of smuggled white onions from China, with a market value of approximately P4.1 million.
Tests conducted by the Bureau of Plant Industry’s Plant Products Safety Services Division and the National Plant Quarantine Services Division showed the smuggled vegetables were positive for heavy metals and salmonella.
Heavy metal poisoning could cause cancer and damage major body organs while salmonella bacteria could cause food poisoning and various infections.
The shipment—misdeclared as processed chicken karaage strips—was consigned to Manila-based Leksei B. Specialized Goods Trading and seized on April 26 by the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in a warehouse in Barangay Laug, Mexico, Pampanga. ### (Photos by Alan Jay Jacalan, DA-AFID)
