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The Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Army’s 701st Infantry Division seized five trucks carrying approximately 238,000 liters of unmarked diesel in Tarragona, Davao Oriental
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Information from the 10th Infantry Division indicated potential fuel smuggling activities in the area and a report identified Aquaman 3 as the offshore vessel transferring fuel to the trucks bound for Mati
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Initial and confirmatory tests of the fuel shipment showed a 0% relative marker level
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Philippine Army’s 701st Infantry Division seized five trucks carrying approximately 238,000 liters of unmarked diesel in Tarragona, Davao Oriental, on October 22.
Acting on intelligence from the 10th Infantry Division, officials suspected smuggling activities linked to a vessel named Aquaman 3, which had reportedly offloaded fuel for the trucks headed toward Mati, according to BOC in a statement.
Following the setup of checkpoints by BOC’s Enforcement and Security Service, the operation led to the capture of the trucks. Initial testing of the fuel shipment confirmed a 0% relative marker level, warranting the detention of the fuel and vehicles.
Testing was briefly delayed when armed civilians, identifying themselves as police intelligence agents, interrupted the process, prompting military assistance to transport the trucks to Banaybanay.
Customs commissioner Bienvenido Rubio emphasized the agency’s commitment to curbing fuel smuggling and securing maritime borders to protect legitimate businesses. “The BOC’s enforcement and coordination efforts highlight its unwavering dedication in ensuring the safety and security of our maritime domain as well as protecting the interests of reputable businesses in the country,” he said.
The government’s fuel marking program is a key provision of Republic Act 10963, also known as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law. Enforced since September 2019, the marking of fuel products, whether imported or manufactured domestically, became mandatory five years after the TRAIN Law took effect in January 2018.
Fuel marking aims to curb oil smuggling and plug revenue losses arising from the illegal importation or misdeclaration of petroleum products.
READ: BOC seizes tanker, trucks with P90M unmarked fuel in Batangas
