By: Dante M. Salvaña
PALAUIG, Zambales — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized around 1,600 master cases of cigarettes valued at ₱175 million and lacking Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) tax stamps from four shipping containers at a private port and compound in Palauig, Zambales, on Oct. 20.
The cigarettes, bearing the brand name “Modern,” were discovered after operatives detected a strong smell of tobacco during an initial inspection, prompting them to open the containers in the presence of barangay representatives and Palauig police personnel.
The operation was led by the BOC’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) units in Limay and Subic, with support from the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) in Subic and Limay, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Task Force Aduana, Philippine National Police Regional Office 3, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and other law enforcement agencies. The Philippine Army’s 69th Infantry Battalion provided additional security.
Photo by: BOC
The seized shipment was placed under BOC custody, while the containers were resealed and secured with padlocks pending further investigation and completion of the final inventory.
“We will not allow shipments that evade taxes to slip through. With the help of our partner agencies, we will continue to intensify our monitoring to protect public funds and the livelihood of businesses that comply with the law,” BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said.
The seizure forms part of the bureau’s intensified campaign against smuggling, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen enforcement against illegal trade.
The BOC said verification and documentation of the seized cigarettes are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the shipment and determine the appropriate legal action against those responsible.
Authorities have yet to disclose the shipment’s origin, intended recipients and the identities of those who may be held liable.