Operatives from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Intelligence and Enforcement Groups, with the Intellectual Property Rights Division, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port, and Enforcement and Security Service-Port of Manila, in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine National Police (PNP) seized boxes of assorted smuggled imported cigarettes worth more than P605 million from a warehouse in Barangay Bulihan Plaridel, Bulacan on Wednesday morning.
The seized various imported cigarettes were hidden in Building No. A-6 inside the Philippine Asia Corporation in the said area.
The inspection was conducted by virtue of a Letter of Authority, following intelligence reports of suspicious warehouse activities.
According to BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, the imported cigarettes, namely Bros, Modern, New Berlin, Commando, Nelson, Nise Menthol, Nise Baisha were with markings indicating Vietnam and China.
There are 8,647 boxes or equivalent to 86,470,000 pieces of imported cigarettes being sold in Central Luzon at P7 per stick.
It was learned that the cigarette packs did not have tax stamps from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and did not have Philippine mandated graphic health warnings from the Department of Health. (DOH).
Some of the cigarette boxes were found inside a 40ft Container van by Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) personnel
BOC personnel also arrested Randy Guevarra Ngo, a Fil-Chinese who was renting the warehouse, along with Benjie Buenafe Diocades (driver) and Joan Pagkalivagan (helper).
It was learned that authorities tracked down the warehouse on August 22 with the help of a concerned citizen and it was raided on Wednesday morning (August 27).
According to Commissioner Nepomuceno, their operation is in accordance with the order of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to stop illicit cigarettes from infiltrating legitimate trade channels and Protect the welfare of our citizens.
In this regard, Customs personnel will conduct an in-depth investigation to determine who is the head of the syndicate behind the smuggled cigarettes.
Meanwhile, the suspects are being detained at the ESS Headquarters at the Port of Manila while charges are being prepared for violation of Section 263 or the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 as amended by the National Tobacco Administration Memorandum Circular No. 02 s.2020 and Section 1113 of Republic Act No. 10863 known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
