BOC seizes P791 million worth of illicit cigarettes from Singapore

| PHOTO: Bureau of Customs

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities intercepted a shipment containing smuggled cigarettes worth P791 million from Singapore at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) over the weekend, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported on Tuesday.

According to BOC, the shipment consigned to Burias Jang Consumer Goods Trading was initially declared tobacco products.

READ: BOC seizes P27.6M allegedly smuggled cigarettes in Davao Gulf

However, the agency’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) received “derogatory information” on May 2, making them suspect that the shipment also carried illicit cigarettes and other misdeclared and undeclared items.

“On May 13, the shipment underwent a spot-check examination at the MICP’s Designated Examination Area. The CIIS, Enforcement, and Security Service, Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency witnessed the examination,” BOC said, citing the information from CIIS Director Verne Enciso.

“There were three containers suspected to contain the contraband […] Each container has an estimated 1,756 master cases of varying brands of cigarettes, namely Golden, Bind, Double Happiness, and H&P One and heat sticks of brands COO and Like Premium Blueberry,” it added.

The agency said the total value of all products in three containers — 4,215 cases of assorted cigarettes and 1,053 master cases of heat sticks — was P791 million.

Upon discovering the smuggled products, BOC disclosed that the assigned customs examiner recommended the issuance of a Warrant of Seizure and Detention to the MICP District Collector.

For his part, Deputy Commissioner for Customs Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy warned organizations of smuggling.

He likewise warned that shipment’s consigners and consignees could face charges for violating Section 117 (regulated importation and exportation) and Section 1400 (misdeclaration in goods declaration) in relation to Section 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).

They will also face complaints of violating Republic Act (RA) 8293, otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, RA 10963, the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion, and the National Tobacco Administration Board Resolution No. 079-2005.