The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized P5.5 billion worth of illegally imported cigarettes and counterfeit items in a warehouse in Bulacan.
The operation, conducted by the BOC-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) on Friday, Aug. 30, was initiated following a letter of authority issued by Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio.
The seized counterfeit items include various gadgets, devices, and garments. Following the operation, agents secured the warehouse by locking its entrance and exit gates.
The owners and operators of the warehouse have been given 15 days to submit documentation proving that the imported goods were brought in legally and that all necessary duties and taxes have been paid, in accordance with Section 224 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Failure to provide the required documents could lead to charges for violations of 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 CMTA.
Additionally, they may face charges under Republic Act 8293, the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, Republic Act 10963, the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN Law), and the National Tobacco Administration Board Resolution No. 079-2005 regarding the importation and exportation of tobacco products.
“We have the manpower, the resources, and the technology to counter these illegal activities. There is no place in the Philippines for this and any organization that tries to pursue smuggling under our watch will have the law to answer to,” BOC-CIIS Director Verne Enciso said in a statement.
CIIS-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) chief Alvin Enciso, whose team led the serving of the LOA, underscored the importance of finding P5.5 billion worth of fake goods.
“We do not want to be a haven for counterfeit items. That is not the kind of message we want to send potential investors and even tourists. More so, that is not what the Marcos administration wants the country’s reputation to be,” he said.
He added that the latest operation represents the “long and grueling hours” that come with a successful raid.
Under Rubio, the BOC vowed to focus on protecting the country's borders and stopping illegal and counterfeit goods from entering.