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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider BOC chief Nepomuceno orders tougher crackdown on oil, agri smuggling

BOC chief Nepomuceno orders tougher crackdown on oil, agri smuggling

Published Jul 16, 2026 04:39 pm

At A Glance

  • Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno has ordered bureau officials to intensify the crackdown on all forms of smuggling, with particular focus on the illegal trade of oil and agricultural products.

Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno has ordered officials of the country’s second largest revenue agency to intensify the crackdown on all forms of smuggling, with particular focus on the illegal trade in oil and agricultural products.

“You are hereby directed to further intensify enforcement efforts against all forms of smuggling, with particular focus on illegal importation and trade in oil and agricultural products,” Nepomuceno said in a memorandum issued last Wednesday, July 15.

The directive was addressed to all BOC deputy and assistant commissioners, as well as all district collectors.

As part of efforts to strengthen border security, the directive requires tighter intelligence gathering, risk assessment, and monitoring of the importation, storage, transport, and distribution of oil and agricultural products.

To ensure these measures are not delayed, Nepomuceno imposed an urgent deadline, saying that action plans “shall be submitted within five days from receipt of this memorandum.”

Additionally, the BOC said it is taking a hard-line stance against internal collusion, implementing a one-strike policy against personnel found engaging in corrupt practices or participating in illicit activities.

“This issuance strictly implements a one-strike policy against corrupt practices and participation in smuggling activities,” Nepomuceno’s memorandum read.

There is no room for error under this rule. “Any individual engaged in such shall be immediately relieved and face administrative, civil, and criminal penalties” under various statutes, including the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.

The crackdown aims to protect government revenue and facilitate legitimate trade by ensuring that all customs laws are strictly enforced.

Under Nepomuceno’s leadership, the BOC collected a preliminary ₱965.6 billion in revenue from July 2025 to June 2026, the bureau said in a July 16 report.

The report said the commissioner also kept collections on track to meet the BOC’s elusive ₱1-trillion goal, with first-half 2026 revenues reaching ₱491.7 billion, exceeding the target by ₱11.5 billion, or 2.4 percent.

Related Tags

Bureau of Customs (BOC) Smuggling Ariel Nepomuceno
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