By Ruben Veloria | Philippine News Agency
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Subic prevented the entry of smuggled cigarettes into the local market with the seizure of more than PHP250 million worth of contraband from June to July this year.
Port of Subic District Collector Maritess Martin said on Tuesday the seizure of the PHP254.79 million illicit cigarettes which are commonly declared as common goods is a result of intensified profiling and monitoring of import goods, and intelligence gathering against unscrupulous importers and traders.
She also cited the active cooperation and partnership of other law enforcement agencies, including the Customs Enforcement and Security Service, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, X-ray Inspection Project, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine Coast Guard, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Subic Bay International Terminal Corp., and Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc., that led the inspection of all subject shipments.
Records provided show that in June 2022 alone, 972 master cases of cigarettes consigned to Thousand Sunny, valued at PHP40.09 million, were confiscated.
Also, despite the revocation of accreditation, another shipment containing 1,000 master cases of assorted cigarettes valued at PHP42.2 million arrived at the port.
The port also intercepted 1,003 master cases of cigarettes worth PHP41.3 million, consigned to Russhi Knish Consumer.
For July, the port seized 2,157 master cases of cigarettes consigned to Proline Logistics Philippines Inc., amounting to PHP84.9 million.
The BOC-Subic received information that another shipment consigned to Proline Logistics Inc. would arrive at the Port, prompting the BOC to issue a pre-lodgment control order against the shipment, which resulted in the seizure of 1,122 master cases of Marvels Filter Kings Cigarettes valued at PHP46.3 million.
Martin said the Port of Subic has issued warrants of seizure and detention against the shipments for violation of National Tobacco Administration (NTA) Memorandum Circular No. 03 series of 2004, NTA Board Resolution No. 079-2005, and Bureau of Internal Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 79-2022, to Section 1113 (f) of the Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. (PNA)
