RESPONDING swiftly to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call for intensified operations against tobacco smuggling, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) successfully thwarted an attempted smuggling operation from Singapore.

The shipment of illicit cigarettes, estimated to be worth P791 million, was intercepted at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) over the weekend.

The shipment, consigned to Burias Jang Consumer Goods Trading, was initially declared to contain cases of tobacco products, but “derogatory information” received by the BOC’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (BOC-CIIS) led to suspicion that it also contained illicit cigarettes and other misdeclared and undeclared items.

Upon receiving the report from the CIIS-MICP Field Station on May 2, 2024, the MICP District Collector, Mimel Talusan, promptly initiated an Alert Order against the shipment in question. Following a thorough examination, the assigned customs examiner recommended the issuance of a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) to the MICP District Collector.

“It is evident with this latest operation that smuggling activities continue to prey upon unsuspecting consumers. We have strict tobacco importation laws that aim to protect our citizens from unnecessary harm by illegally traded and imported cigarette products. As an answer to the President’s directive, we will continue working to get to the bottom of this menace and stop the dangers these bring,” BOC Commissioner Bien Rubio said. ” This unwavering stance should reassure the public of the Bureau’s dedication to their safety.

On May 13, the shipment underwent a spot-check examination at the MICP’s Designated Examination Area (DEA). The CIIS, Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force (CAIDTF), and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) witnessed the examination.

During the initial examination, CIIS Director Verne Enciso divulged that 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 Bluberry.

The value of the products found in all three containers with 4,215 mastercases of assorted cigarettes and 1,053 mastercases of heat sticks was pegged at P791 million.

Enciso also took note of the prompt response by BOC officers after receiving the information about the shipment.

“The agency’s mandate is not only to pursue smugglers but also to anticipate their operations proactively. We need to be on our toes even before they start an operation. This is our aim when using the skills, technology, and resources we gathered and honed throughout the years,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner for Customs Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy did not mince words when he issued a warning against smuggling organizations.

“These individuals and groups should understand that we will do everything in our power to make them answerable to our laws, courts, and consumers. Every day, our hardworking officers push the boundaries relentlessly to ensure that our streets and markets are kept clean from these vulturous attacks,” he said.

The assigned Customs examiner conducted a thorough, 100% physical examination of the containers on Tuesday, May 14. The CIIS officials were present during the inspection of the seized cigarettes.

The shipment’s consigners and consignees can 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 charges in accordance with Republic Act 8293, otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, Republic Act 10963, the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN Law), and the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) Board Resolution No. 079-2005 (amended rules and regulations governing the exportation and importation of leaf tobacco and tobacco products).