I WROTE two months ago about fake importers smuggling in goods with the complicity of some corrupt Bureau of Customs (BoC) officials. In that July 17 column, I discussed in detail the modus operandi being employed.

Normally it would be the entity which is the subject of my column that would call the attention of the newspaper or myself to explain their side. To my surprise, it was a director of the victimized company who called me and requested that I desist from pursuing the story. That director feared that their shipment would not be released by Customs if their company would be identified from my writings.