Police seize P40M ‘substandard, deformed’ steel products

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Police seize P40M ‘substandard, deformed’ steel products
Police say the subpar products are reportedly bound for Yolanda-hit areas where public and private reconstruction are ongoing

MANILA, Philippines – Anti-fraud police on Tuesday, July 8, nabbed P40 million ($921,977.60*) in “substandard” and “deformed” steel products reportedly bound for areas ravaged by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

At around 10 am on Tuesday, agents of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Detection and Investigation Group (PNP-CIDG) served a search warrant to Steeltower Steel Corporation owned by Alex Go, Andrew Go, Jason Ang, James Ang, and a Jintuan Wu.

The police discovered “16,000 pieces of 8-millimeter rolled steel bars, 600 tons of 4.5x50x50 angle steel bars, uncertified GI wires, substandard angle bars of different sizes with counterfeit lsc logo, and uncertified/unmarked roofing materials.”

Magalong said it would take around two days for police to haul all the products seized from the Steeltower facility at Golden Gate Business Park, Barangay Buenaviste, General Trias in Cavite.

Upon the request of Rehabilitation Secretary Panfilo Lacson in April, the Department of Trade and Industry deputized the PNP-CIDG to conduct operations against suppliers of substandard construction materials, especially steel products, said CIDG chief Police Director Benjamin Magalong.

In a statement to media, the CIDG said substandard construction materials were being smuggled into the Philippines from different ports, and those shipments that evade Customs officials have even found their way to areas hit by Typhoon Yolanda, where there are extensive reconstruction activities.

The CIDG said the latest discovery and seizure of the substandard products had “prevented additional devastation” to Yolanda victims. 

A huge part of Eastern Visayas and nearby provinces are still reeling from the effects of the devastating super typhoon, which claimed the lives of at least 6,300 people. Total damage caused by the typhoon is estimated at P89.6 billion (approximately $2 billion) – Bea Cupin/Rappler.com

*$1:$43.5

 

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