The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Negros Oriental raided a warehouse in Barangay Banilad Thursday due to alleged violations of the law banning the sale of used clothing locally known as “ukay-ukay”.

Armed with a search warrant issued by Municipal Trial Circuit Court Judge Dinah Tabada-Chu for violation of Republic Act 4653, CIDG operatives led by Lt. Col. Ariel Tolorio Huesca seized 326 large and small bales of used clothing inside the warehouse, plus six bales of imported fake shoes with an estimated value of PHP2.2 million.

RA 4653 is known as “An Act To Safeguard The Health of the People and Maintain The Dignity of the Nation by Declaring It A National Policy to Prohibit The Commercial Importation of Textile Articles Commonly Known as Used Clothing and Rags”.

Huesca said a walk-in informant reported the operation of the suspects, identified as Guo Xin Huo and Lauro Lastima of Purok 6.

Upon questioning, Guo could not present necessary documents for her entry to the country. She is now in the custody of the CIDG.

Huesca is coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration to determine the entry status of the suspect, who claimed in an interview that she is merely a caretaker of the used items.

Lastima, on the other hand, claimed he applied as helper at the warehouse and is being paid by Guo PHP300 per day for his services. (PNA)