Observing the destruction of 20 unlawfully brought-in lavish automobiles being crushed should serve as a clear message: Do not attempt to deceive customs officials in the Philippines. Despite this, some of the nation’s affluent individuals believed they could outsmart the system and import cars without paying the required fees. Last Saturday, they were proven wrong when a backhoe annihilated approximately $1.2 million worth of vehicles in another round of public demolitions, including a limited-edition McLaren 620R.
The Bureau of Customs in the Philippines displayed the seven vehicles—confiscated from Filipino ports between 2018 and 2020—in a live stream on Facebook where a backhoe operator vented his frustration on them. There will likely be little sympathy for the demolition of a Hyundai Genesis, R171 Mercedes-Benz SLK, or a Toyota Solara. However, the destruction of a Lotus Elise, Bentley Flying Spur, and a Porsche 911 Carrera S (997) might provoke some outrage. Of particular significance was the obliteration of the McLaren 620R; a $300,000, one of only 350 track-special editions based on the 570S supercar.
Exotic vehicles crushed by customs officials in the Philippines, Bureau of Customs PH | Facebook
This particular McLaren model is suspected to be the one that was previously reported in August, when its purchaser attempted to pass it off as a Porsche Cayman on import paperwork. By doing so, the buyer allegedly managed to evade paying almost the full import taxes owed. However, upon inspecting the car’s shipping container, authorities uncovered the deceit, leading to the forfeiture of the McLaren.
Such seemingly arbitrary destruction measures were implemented as part of a tax compliance crackdown by Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, who purportedly suggested it to fund $180 billion in infrastructure projects within the country. Although the Philippines could potentially recoup some value by auctioning the vehicles, there is a risk that they may end up back in the hands of the individuals who attempted to smuggle them in, with the only consequence being a financial penalty. However, for someone willing to risk having a one-of-350 McLaren demolished, this penalty would barely inconvenience them.
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