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An estimated P10 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes were seized by Customs on June 6 in Orion, Bataan
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BOC-Port of Limay acted on a tip-off about alleged smuggled cigarettes being sold in a store and at a resort in Barangay San Vicente
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A raiding team found 487 master cases of the alleged smuggled cigarettes
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An unspecified number of persons suspected of involvement in the case will be investigated for violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act
The Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Port of Limay seized an estimated P10 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes on June 6 in Orion, Bataan, the agency said in a statement.
The seizure resulted from a joint operation launched by BOC staff, Orion police and a Coast Guard K-9 unit after the bureau was tipped off about alleged smuggled cigarettes being sold in a store and at a resort in Barangay San Vicente, Orion.
Upon inspection, the raiding team found 487 master cases of suspected smuggled cigarettes with an estimated value of P10 million.
The seized cigarettes were secured by personnel of BOC’s Enforcement Security Services and taken to the BOC-Port of Limay office for safekeeping.
An unspecified number of persons, including the owner of the store and the resort, were arrested by the team.
The suspects will be investigated and referred to the bureau’s Action Team Against Smugglers for possible prosecution for violation of Section 1401 (Unlawful Importation or Exportation) of Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
As of the first quarter of this year, BOC had seized P3.89 billion worth of smuggled items.
