MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has filed 91 cases against smugglers in 2022, according to an accomplishment report released to INQUIRER.net on Tuesday.
From January 1 to October 13, the BOC filed 75 smuggling cases at the Department of Justice, while 16 administrative cases were filed at the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), which enforces regulatory laws among various professions.
The BOC “filed ninety-one (91) cases against unscrupulous importers and customs brokers, comprised of seventy-five (75) criminal cases before the Department of Justice (DOJ), and sixteen (16) administrative cases in the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC),” the report stated.
The BOC recently seized P228 million worth of imported sugar without the proper clearances from the Sugar Regulatory Administration. The agency also confiscated P165 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in a joint operation with the Philippine National Police.
Commissioner of Customs Yogi Filemon Ruiz had already promised more intervention at airports and seaports to stop the entry of contraband.
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