Customs foils direct cigarette smuggling at the Port of Batangas

THE Bureau of Customs under Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno foiled an attempt to directly smuggled into the country ₱235 million worth of cigarettes from the United Arab Emirates thru the Port of Batangas.

Accompanied by Customs Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Romeo Rosales and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Director Thomas Narcise, the Customs chief personally inspected the seized contraband last March 13. He also praised the Port’s leadership headed by Collector Carmelita ‘Mimel’ Talusan, for their vigilance.

The BOC said 637 master cases of cigarettes with the brands MAC Super Slim Ice Cool Blast Cigarettes were found during the inspection.

The vessel’s arrival and the number of containers involved, however, were not disclosed in the official statement released by the BOC.

From January 1 up to March 6, the BOC has already recorded 127 successful cigarette-related interdictions, resulting in the seizure of approximately ₱2 billion worth of illicit cigarettes nationwide.

Official data showed that for the same period last year, under Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, the BOC recorded a miserable record of only 21 seizures valued at ₱75.517 million.

Following the examination, Talusan issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) against the shipment for violation of Sections 117 and 1113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (RA 10863).

Commissioner Nepomuceno emphasized that the BOC’s intelligence-driven enforcement campaign against illicit tobacco trade will remain “relentless.”

“Those who attempt to exploit the country’s borders for illegal trade will face the full force of the law,” he said.