Authorities intercepted 23 containers of smuggled cigarettes valued at ₱1.7 billion at a private wharf in Manila, marking one of the largest illicit tobacco seizures this year as the government intensifies its crackdown on tax evasion and border fraud.

The joint enforcement operation, conducted on June 22, involved the Bureau of Customs, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the Philippine Coast Guard. Acting on intelligence provided by the NBI, authorities tracked a total of 24 containers that had been misdeclared as consumer goods.

The cargo was initially loaded onto the vessel ASC BIG BOY at Pier 7, a private wharf in Cebu, before being transported to another private facility in Tondo, Manila, operated by the same company. The vessel has since been detained and placed under the custody of the Coast Guard.

During the raid at the North Harbor container yard of Carlos A. Gothong Lines Inc., officials located 16 containers at the facility and four aboard the vessel. Another four containers had already been dispatched to local warehouses, though authorities managed to retrieve three. A search remains underway for the final missing container.

Initial inspections by revenue officers confirmed that the containers held approximately 29,900 master cases of cigarettes lacking the mandatory internal revenue tax stamps. Among the contraband seized were brands including Modern, Dani, Nise Baisha, H&P, BRO Red, and D&J Premium.

Under Philippine law, the sale of unstamped tobacco products deprives the state of crucial excise tax revenues, which fund the country's universal healthcare system and infrastructure projects.

Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the government is preparing criminal charges against the shippers and operators involved. The findings indicate severe violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, specifically concerning the misdeclaration of goods and unlawful importation, alongside breaches of the National Internal Revenue Code regarding the removal of excisable goods without payment.

The multi-agency inspection was coordinated on Tuesday morning by high-ranking officials, including Customs Deputy Commissioner Emmanuel Luis Licup, NBI Director Melvin Matibag, Department of Finance Undersecretary Rolando Ligon, and BIR Regional Director Remir Macatangay.

Internal Revenue Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza stated that the coordinated bust underscores a heightened inter-agency strategy to plug revenue leakages. A full inventory and valuation are ongoing to determine the exact tax liabilities and fines to be levied against the perpetrators.