IBA, Zambales — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized around 1,600 master cases of cigarettes worth ₱175 million without Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) tax stamps at a private port and compound in Palauig, Zambales, on October 20, 2026.

The cigarettes, bearing the brand name Modern, were found inside four shipping containers during an operation led by the BOC’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) with support from other government agencies.

The operation involved the BOC’s Enforcement and Security Service in Subic and Limay, Philippine Coast Guard Task Force Aduana, Philippine National Police Regional Office 3, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Philippine Army’s 69th Infantry Battalion.

Authorities said operatives detected a strong tobacco odor coming from the containers during an initial inspection. The containers were opened in the presence of barangay representatives and personnel of the PNP in Palauig, leading to the discovery of the cigarettes without the required tax stamps.

The shipment was seized and placed under BOC custody. The containers were resealed and padlocked pending further investigation and a final inventory of the seized goods.

In a separate operation, the BOC’s Manila International Container Port (MICP) destroyed five containers of smuggled cigarettes and dried tobacco worth ₱179.03 million from September 30 to October 2 at the Greenleaf88 Non-Hazardous Waste Disposal Facility in Porac, Pampanga.

The shipment consisted of four 20-foot containers of cigarettes bearing the brands Platinum, Cannon, King Philip, Lasa, Modern and H&P, and one 20-foot container of dried tobacco leaves.

The goods had undergone a 100% physical examination on October 8, 2025, and were subsequently forfeited in favor of the government for violations of the Graphic Health Warnings Law, the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).

BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said the agency would continue working with other law enforcement agencies to prevent the entry and sale of untaxed and smuggled tobacco products.

He also stressed that enforcement efforts must extend beyond seizure to ensure that confiscated goods do not return to the market.

MICP District Collector Atty. Felipe Geoffrey K. De Vera IV said proper procedures must be followed through the legal disposition of confiscated goods to maintain the integrity of customs enforcement.

The BOC said the seizure and destruction operations were part of its continuing campaign against smuggling and illegal trade, aimed at protecting government revenues, public health and legitimate businesses. (Ang Pahayagan Reportorial Team)

Photos courtesy of Bureau of Customs