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The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has filed 70 criminal cases against 244 suspected smugglers from January up to the first week of December this year
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151 customs bonded warehouses (CBWs) and 249 members of customs common bonded warehouses (CCBWs) were inspected from January 1 to December 4, 2020
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19 CBWs were padlocked and 40 members of CCBWs closed down for various violations
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About P9.52 billion worth of smuggled goods were seized, over half being illicit tobacco products
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) filed 70 criminal cases against 244 suspected smugglers from January up to the first week of December this year, according to the Department of Finance (DOF).
BOC was also able to inspect 151 customs bonded warehouses (CBWs) and 249 members of customs common bonded warehouses (CCBWs) from January 1 to December 4, 2020, BOC Revenue Collection Monitoring Group deputy commissioner Vener Baquiran said in a recent report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.
The agency padlocked 19 CBWs for various violations, and closed down another 40 members of CCBWs during the same period,
During the same period, BOC also conducted the following operations:
- Seized an estimated P9.52 billion worth of smuggled goods, of which over half were illicit tobacco products
- Apprehended P5.05 billion worth of smuggled cigarettes and other tobacco products from various ports, accounting for 53% of the total amount of goods seized
- Seized P32.59 million worth of various types of currency, as well as illegal drugs valued at P1.85 billion
- Apprehended general merchandise worth P413.89 million, vehicles and automobile accessories valued at P354.53 million, and agricultural products amounting to about P238.49 million
- Seized counterfeit goods worth P1.02 billion; foodstuff, P200 million; personal protective equipment (PPEs), medical supplies and cosmetics, P195.57 million; jewelry and other products, P68.89 million; used clothing, P48.09 million; electronics goods, P31.07 million; chemicals, P5 million; steel products, P4.76 million; alcoholic beverages, P2.43 million; and firearms, P300,000.
DOF said these operations are in line with BOC’s efforts to intensify its anti-smuggling campaign even amid the pandemic. – Roumina Pablo
