A total of 21,000 kilograms of unregistered vape products and other hazardous goods that arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) without the necessary permits have been destroyed.
Customs Port of NAIA District Collector Mimel Talusan said they condemned 21 tons of unsafe and hazardous goods in Trece Martires, Cavite on September 9, 2020.
The condemned vape products were imported without necessary permits from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
These products are used for inhalation of vapor created by an electronic cigarette or other vaping devices.
These e-cigarettes are battery-powered smoking devices with cartridges filled with a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings and chemicals.
In view of the health hazards of vape products, the importation and use thereof were highly regulated by the FDA while the importation of unregistered vape products is prohibited under Republic Act No. 11467, Talusan said.
The BOC-NAIA similarly condemned expired food supplies, dietary supplements, medicines, medical kits and devices, glutathione products which were also imported without the necessary FDA permit and if not disposed of properly, can pose health risks to the public.
Part of the condemned goods were other regulated items such as animal feeds, cement, electrical items, bulbs and batteries without the clearances from the Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and Bureau of Product Standards (BPS), respectively.
The continuous condemnation of overstaying and hazardous goods is in line with the directive of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonard B. Guerrero to inspect all abandoned and overstaying cargoes for immediate disposal and to avoid the entry of illegal goods.
BOC NAIA will continue to check unsafe and hazardous goods arriving into the country without the proper approval and safety standards clearance, they said.