THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) scored its first major win under Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, seizing over P605 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and arresting three suspects during an operation at an industrial warehouse compound in Plaridel, Bulacan last August 27.
Commissioner Nepomuceno said they are now “backtracking” their investigation to identify all those involved in the foiled smuggling attempt and to determine how the cigarettes that originated from Vietnam and China managed to enter the country.
Accompanied by other customs officials, Commissioner Nepomuceno personally supervised the inspection of the smuggled cigarettes, totaling 8,647 master cases, equivalent to 86.47 million sticks of cigarettes, at Warehouse A-6 inside the sprawling Phil Asia Corporation Compound in Bgy. Bulihan, Plaridel, Bulacan.
Acting on reliable information, the customs chief said he immediately tasked Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence (DCI) Romeo Rosales and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Director Thomas Narcise to conduct further intelligence gathering on the ongoing smuggling attempt.
“This is a direct smuggling attempt,” Nepomuceno said, noting the boldness of the perpetrators who did not course the shipment to any customs collection district thru misdeclaration but landed it a pier in Vitas, Tondo, Manila. From there, the cigarettes, loaded in several container vans, were then transported to the warehouse in Plaridel.
Armed with a ‘Letter of Authority’ (LOA) signed by Comm. Nepomuceno, CIIS operatives raided and padlocked the facility on August 22, in the process also impounding a trailer truck belonging to ‘Elromyza Trucking Services’ that is in the process of unloading another shipment of smuggled cigarettes.
The BOC’s swift action also resulted to the arrest of the driver, Benjie Buenafe Deocave and his helper, Joan Pagcalinawan.
DCI Rosales said they have also taken into custody Randy Guevarra Ngo, a Fil-Chinese who rented the warehouse and coordinated the delivery of the illicit shipment.
BOC spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Atty. Vincent Maronilla said there is reason to believe the perpetrators are eyeing Central Luzon as the market for the product, a view shared by the customs chief who noted further that cigarettes smugglers appear to be expanding their coverage from Mindanao to Luzon.
‘Watch it on YouTube’
Commissioner Nepomuceno also assured the public that they are taking measures to ensure the integrity of customs operations under his administration.
In one of his first major decisions, Comm. Nepomuceno cancelled the serving of all LOAs signed by his predecessor, Comm. Benvenido Rubio that were not served by July 2, his second day as Customs chief, to promote transparency and avoid accusations of harassment and extortion by customs operatives (Pinoy Exposé, July 16, 2025).
Moving forward, the Customs chief said the destruction of the smuggled cigarettes would be broadcasted live. “You can watch it on YouTube,” he said.
The suspects would be charged for violation of Section 263 of the National Internal Revenue code of 1997 as amended National Tobacco Administration Memorandum Circular no.02 s.2020 and section 1113 ng Republic Act 10863 known as Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
However, Asscomm. Maronilla said they are also studying the possibility of charging the suspects for violation of RA 12022 or the ‘Anti-Agricultural Sabotage Act’ that considers the smuggling of tobacco, among other agricultural commodities, as “economic sabotage.” The law imposes the maximum penalty of life imprisonment and no bail for those found guilty.