THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Thursday said it has confiscated P7.2 billion worth of illicit cigarettes, tobacco and vape products this year as it boosted efforts to protect government revenues.
Speaking at a forum on anti-illicit trade, Customs Deputy Commissioner Emmanuel Luis Licup said the bureau had seized more than P5.6 billion in illegal cigarettes and tobacco products, and some P1.6 billion in prohibited vape and e-cigarette products this year alone.
The tobacco-related seizures accounted for the agency’s broader enforcement accomplishments of stopping over P13.5 billion worth of smuggled and prohibited goods nationwide.
However, a successful anti-illicit trade campaign does not end at ports, warehouses, checkpoints or interception sites, Licup said, noting that “those responsible for financing, organizing and facilitating illegal trade must be identified, investigated, prosecuted and held accountable under the law.”
Licup said the BOC has strengthened coordination with other law enforcement and prosecution agencies to ensure that actions lead to successful court cases.
He cited the bureau’s partnership with the Department of Justice (DOJ), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the National Prosecution Service (NPS) as a critical component of efforts to dismantle illicit trade networks.
The bureau continues to modernize its procedures through technology, risk management systems, intelligence-driven targeting and enhanced interagency information sharing, Licup said.
“What we have learned over the years is that our greatest strength lies in collaboration,” he pointed out, saying that the Department of Agriculture, Philippine National Police, DOJ, NPS, NBI, National Tobacco Administration and the BOC each play a critical role in protecting the country from illegal trade.
The BOC’s partnership with the NBI and the NPS has helped speed up investigations to identify not only those caught transporting illegal goods, but also the criminal groups behind the operations, Licup said.
