The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized at least fourteen “undervalued” luxury vehicles at a port in Batangas.

BOC Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement Ariel Nepomuceno inspected the seized vehicles at the Asian Terminal Container Port Wednesday.

Nepumuceno said the vehicles, which arrived at the Batangas port from the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Hong Kong last week, were consigned to Monacat Trading Enterprises, a company with registered address at Unit 2 Matic Building, Barangay Canlalay in  Biñan, Laguna.

The seized luxury cars include one unit McLaren 450c, one unit Land Rover LR2, two units Land Rover Defender 90, two units Mercedez Benz C200, two units Mercedez Benz GLK350, one unit Toyota Prado, one unit 2015 Ferrari California, and four units Toyota Landcruiser GX.

Nepumuceno said the vehicles were seized for gross undervaluation, a violation of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.

The import value of the vehicles were said to be P24 million but the BOC said initial assessment showed the shipment is valued at more than P50 million.

“There are car importers who misdeclare or undervalue their importations because of the costly dues and taxes attached to cars being imported. We cannot afford to lose millions of taxes due to technical smuggling,” Nepomuceno said.

“This may be a ‘potential’ case of smuggling, pending the result of an official investigation. The seizure proceeding would also give the consignee a chance to present its own side,” the BOC chief added.