Nearly 3,200 master boxes of illicit cigarettes and vape products valued at over ₱1 billion have been seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), marking the agency’s largest haul to date for such products.

According to the BOC, the seizure of these illegal cigarettes and vape products was carried out during an enforcement operation in Navotas City over the weekend. These efforts reinforce the government’s campaign against the unregulated movement of goods that threaten public safety and weaken lawful trade.

“This operation stands among the largest seizures of vape products this year,” the BOC said, vowing to curb the proliferation of illicit goods.

“[We] will not allow the proliferation of unregistered vape products, which bypass mandatory safety checks, proper labeling, and ingredient verification,” the BOC added, reassuring the public that only compliant and properly regulated goods can move within the market.

According to the BOC, its customs intelligence and investigation service at Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) first reported the suspected storage of these non-compliant goods.

This developed into rigorous surveillance, which uncovered probable law violations, prompting the BOC to issue a letter of authority (LOA) and a mission order to conduct an audit.

In particular, the audit was carried out by a joint team from CIIS-MICP, enforcement and security service-MICP, formal entry division, and legal service-revenue collection monitoring group. They were supported by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) as well as local police and barangay officials.

“Upon lawful entry into the facility, authorities discovered a substantial volume of vape products and related items suspected to have been misdeclared and unlawfully imported,” the BOC reported.

Initial findings showed the seized products were unregistered and lacked the required Philippine Standard (PS) license or import commodity clearance (ICC), violating the law regulating vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products.

Notably, these items are also subject to the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) list of brands due for suspension.

BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the operation strengthens border control and public health safety.

Warehouse representatives were given 15 days to submit documents proving compliance. Otherwise, they could face full seizure and possible charges.

The BOC earlier reported that it seized smuggled and prohibited goods worth around ₱61.7 billion, down 27.6 percent from the 2024 actual collections of ₱85.167 billion. The agency has been tasked to collect ₱1 trillion for the first time this year.

It also missed its ₱958.7-billion target for 2025, collecting only ₱934.4 billion, partly due to weaker imports, the rice import ban, and global price volatility.