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The Bureau of Customs seized 25 containers at the Port of Manila carrying an estimated P136.92 million in misdeclared, regulated, and prohibited merchandise
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All containers were consigned to a construction supplies trading company and primarily originated from China
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Key finds include counterfeit/IPR-infringing goods, foodstuff, used clothing, rice and sugar, and various commodities
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Other seized items: electronics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, plus unlabeled and unregistered cosmetics posing public health risks
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Seizure and forfeiture proceedings initiated under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and applicable intellectual property and importation laws
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized 25 containers at the Port of Manila carrying an estimated P136.92 million in misdeclared, regulated, and prohibited merchandise.
The goods were declared as plastic racks but, on inspection, were found to contain counterfeit products, undeclared agricultural goods, used clothing, unregistered cosmetics, and a range of other contraband, the BOC reported.
The containers, all consigned to a single construction supplies trading company and predominantly originating from China, were flagged for a thorough physical examination that uncovered the full breadth of the misdeclaration.
The most valuable category of seized goods was intellectual property rights (IPR)-infringing merchandise, valued at P59.343 million across 6,320 boxes. Foodstuff accounted for P43.75 million, followed by various commodities at P34.523 million, used clothing at P22 million, and undeclared agricultural products, primarily rice and sugar — at P18.134 million.
Electronics valued at P2.1 million, pharmaceuticals worth P669,000, and chemicals valued at P101,000 rounded out the haul. Several cosmetic products found in the shipment were unlabeled and unregistered, raising public health and consumer safety concerns.
Customs commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno underscored the agency’s intensified enforcement posture.
“This is exactly the kind of abuse we are determined to stop. When shipments are deliberately misdeclared, it not only deprives the government of rightful revenue—it also puts Filipino consumers and legitimate businesses at risk. We are tightening our border controls to ensure these shipments are intercepted before they can do harm,” he said.
READ: BOC bolsters national borders, seizes P61.707B in 2025 anti-smuggling campaign
The agency has initiated seizure and forfeiture proceedings against the shipments under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, along with applicable intellectual property and importation laws. Further investigation is underway.
The operation was carried out under the Port of Manila’s district collector, Rizalino Jose Torralba.
READ: BOC seizes P39M smuggled cigarettes, tobacco at North Harbor
