Some P92 million worth of counterfeit cigarettes from China have been uncovered from a flagged shipment at the Port of Subic, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Tuesday, June 29.
Some 2,050 master cases of cigarettes bearing brands such as Fortune and Mighty were found in the shipment during an inspection on June 24, 2021.
According to customs records, the shipment--which was earlier intercepted by authorities--was consigned to Goldlink enterprises.
The BOC tagged the shipment as smuggled since the items contained fake tax seals.
Customs agents and representatives from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Chamber of Customs Brokers Inc. (CCBI), Japan Tobacco Inc (JTI), and Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. (PMFTC) were present during the 100 percent physical examination on the shipment.
A warrant of seizure and detention (WSD) was issued by the District Collector's Office against the shipment.
Further investigation is under way for the possible filing of charges for violation of Section 1113 in relation to Section 1400 of Republic Act (RA) 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA); as well as pertinent Internal Revenue Laws and circulars of the National Tobacco Authority (NTA).