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Customs seizes P93-M smuggled cigarettes in Subic; sets up customer care centers
Customs seizes P93-M smuggled cigarettes in Subic; sets up customer care centers
Instead of LED lights, various smuggled cigarettes worth over P93 million were recently uncovered inside three containers from China at the Port of Subic, the Bureau of Customs said.
About 3,000 master cases of cigarettes bearing the brands of Mighty, More, D&B, and Winston were found inside three 40-footer containers on July 1, six days after the shipment arrived in the country.
It was disclosed that the shipment was only declared as LED lights but x-ray inspection showed otherwise. The smuggled items were discovered upon 100-percent physical examination against the shipment.
The cigarettes have an estimated value of P93,090,000, the bureau said.
A warrant of seizure and detention (WSD) has been issued against the shipment. The consignee, whose identity is withheld, is now subject to further investigation for the possible violation of National Tobacco Administration (NTA) Board Resolution No. 079-2005, NTA Memorandum Circular No. 03, Series of 2004, in relation to sec. 1113 (f) of RA 10863 otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Meanwhile, the Port of Subic recently announced the construction of its own Customer Care Center (CCC) that will serve as One-Stop-Shop, centralizing document receiving and releasing, and other Customs services.
In order to lessen face-to-face interaction between port employees and Bureau of Customs stakeholders, interactive information kiosks will be set up within the building.
The CCC will also feature self-service kiosks that allow access to various services of BOC including its online systems, such as the Goods Declaration Verification System, Document Tracking System, Parcel and Balikbayan Box Tracking System, and BOC Portal.
The construction of local CCCs, according to the bureau, will enhance trade facilitation and comply with the Republic Act No. 11032 known as the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018. It will complement the operations of the BOC Customer Assistance and Response Services (BOC-CARES), the Bureau’s customer service and assistance center.