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An inter-agency operation led by the Bureau of Customs-Port of Cebu led to the seizure of 11 forty-foot container vans of illicit cigarettes worth P860 million on June 24
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Initial intelligence led authorities to two containers in Mandaue City, with subsequent leads uncovering nine more containers in Cebu City and Mandaue City
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Investigators found the shipments were being transported through domestic routes using a local shipping line for distribution
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Authorities traced six containers to a yard in Barangay Bacayan, Cebu City, and three more to a private shipping facility in Mandaue City
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Full inventory and final valuation of the seized cargo are ongoing
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BOC-Cebu is coordinating with the shipping line to determine the origin and movement of the containers
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The seizure follows the recent interception of 23 containers of illicit cigarettes worth about P1.7 billion in Manila
An inter-agency operation led by the Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Port of Cebu seized 11 forty-foot container vans of illicit cigarettes valued at an estimated P860 million in Cebu on June 24, pushing the total value of smuggled tobacco intercepted by the Bureau of Customs in a single week to roughly
P2.5 billion.
The BOC-Port of Cebu led the operation alongside the Philippine Coast Guard, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and Bureau of Internal Revenue. Authorities said the cigarettes were being moved through domestic routes using a local shipping line for distribution.
The operation unfolded in three stages after intelligence reports pointed to suspicious cargo movements in the central Cebu area. Authorities first intercepted two container vans in Mandaue City in the early hours of June 24. Information obtained from the drivers led them to a container yard in Barangay Bacayan, Cebu City, where six additional containers loaded with cigarettes were discovered.
A third stage followed when trucking company representatives disclosed that three more containers had yet to be discharged from a private shipping facility in Mandaue City. Those containers were confirmed to hold cigarettes upon inspection, bringing the total to 11.
A full inventory and final valuation are still being undertaken. The Port of Cebu said it is coordinating with officers of the shipping line to determine the origin and movement of the containers.
Customs commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno commended the operating teams and said the campaign against illicit tobacco would continue.
“We will not stop combating the illegal cigarette trade that undermines legitimate business and deprives government of revenue. Through sustained intelligence operations and close coordination with our partner agencies, the Bureau of Customs will continue to pursue those responsible and dismantle the networks that enable illicit trade,” Nepomuceno said.
The Cebu seizure comes days after the BOC confiscated 23 containers of illicit cigarettes worth approximately P1.7 billion at a private wharf in Manila, bringing the combined estimated value of smuggled tobacco intercepted this week to about P2.5 billion.
BOC-Cebu district collector Alexandra Yap-Lumontad credited inter-agency cooperation for the outcome.
“This accomplishment demonstrates the value of strong inter-agency coordination. The Port of Cebu remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthen its enforcement efforts through close collaboration with other agencies,” Yap-Lumontad said.
