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The Bureau of Customs seized 40% more smuggled goods in the first quarter of the year amounting to P25.58 billion compared to the same period last year
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The seizures came from 243 separate enforcement operations, targeting a range of illegally imported items such as fuel, vape products, agricultural goods, foreign currencies, and illegal drugs
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For the same period, the BOC also marked 19.95 billion liters of fuel through its fuel-marking program, designed to combat petroleum smuggling
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized 40% more smuggled goods in the first quarter of the year amounting to P25.58 billion compared to the same period last year.
From January to March, the BOC reported 243 enforcement operations. Among the intercepted items were fuel, vape products, agricultural commodities, foreign currency, and illegal drugs (P2.05 billion), initiating 164 legal cases under the BOC’s BATAS (Build, Accuse, Track and Seize) initiative.
The agency attributed the surge in seizures to enforcement measures led by its Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), which spearheads efforts to safeguard the country’s borders and uphold customs regulations.
ESS launched measures against money laundering and terrorism financing that led to the confiscation of P131 million in undeclared currencies.
In parallel with its enforcement drive, the BOC marked 19.95 billion liters of petroleum products under its fuel-marking program, a government initiative under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law aimed at curbing oil smuggling, contributing P242.36 billion in duties and taxes.
The program involves the use of chemical markers in legally imported, tax-paid fuel. Products that test below the 95% marker threshold face duties and penalties, while unmarked or counterfeit fuel is subject to full taxation and sanctions.
Meanwhile, BOC-ESS marked its 37th founding anniversary on March 31, highlighting its expanding role in protecting the country’s borders against smuggling, illicit trade, and other transnational crimes.
Over the past year, the ESS has not only intensified its anti-smuggling drive but also contributed significantly to broader government efforts, including the Philippines’ removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list.
During the anniversary ceremony, Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio—himself a former ESS special agent—acknowledged the agency’s unwavering commitment: “For nearly four decades, our Enforcement and Security Service has stood as our first line of defense, serving as the enforcement arm of the Bureau of Customs. As someone who once served as a special agent, I understand the weight and demands of this role, both within our institution and beyond its walls.”
ESS acting director Isabelo Tibayan III thanked the commissioner for his continued support, particularly in upgrading ESS operational capabilities. Recent modernization efforts include the acquisition of 100 new rifles, 200 handguns, chemical analyzers, and facility improvements at the ESS headquarters
