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The Bureau of Customs intercepted two sugar shipments and one misdeclared cigarette shipment at the Port of Manila
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The shipments lacked required permits or were abandoned, violating customs and regulatory laws
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Total value of seized goods is estimated at ₱90 million
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) intercepted two shipments of unauthorized sugar and one misdeclared shipment of cigarettes at the Port of Manila (POM), collectively valued at over ₱90 million, as part of heightened enforcement against agricultural smuggling.
The seizures are in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to intensify border controls and crack down on the illicit trade of regulated goods, including food and agricultural commodities.
On May 29, Customs commissioner Bienvenido Rubio and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr., along with top officials from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, and POM District Office, jointly led the inspection of the intercepted goods, the BOC said in a statement.
The first shipment, examined on May 23, involved two 20-foot container vans originating from Thailand and containing 1,000 sacks of refined sugar. While the consignee was registered with the SRA, the shipment lacked the required import allocation and clearance, rendering it unauthorized.
A Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) was issued for the sugar, citing violations of Section 117 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and Sugar Order No. 6, Series of 2022–2023. Customs officials said the shipment violated import regulations on regulated commodities.
In a separate operation, two additional 20-foot containers were examined at Warehouse 3 in POM after being declared abandoned. The containers were labeled “sweet mixed powder” but contained 1,040 bags of sugar. The declared importer disclaimed ownership due to demurrage charges and lack of documentation.
District collector Alexander Gerard Alviar issued a Decree of Abandonment, and a Certificate of Finality was granted to allow formal examination. The BOC is awaiting laboratory confirmation from the SRA to determine the product’s composition and possible regulatory breaches. The total value of both sugar shipments is estimated at ₱9 million.
During the same inspection activity, officials also uncovered a 40-foot container declared as “fabric,” which actually contained 1,046 boxes or 52,300 reams of cigarettes. The contraband, valued at ₱81.065 million, lacked proper import documentation and violated both CMTA provisions and National Tobacco Administration regulations. A WSD was issued for the shipment.
Rubio reiterated the bureau’s commitment to enforcing customs regulations and protecting the local agriculture sector.
“These operations are a direct response to the President’s orders. We will not tolerate the illegal importation of agricultural and regulated products,” Rubio said.
The BOC said it will continue close coordination with the Department of Agriculture, SRA, and other regulatory agencies to strengthen border enforcement and uphold food security and consumer protection.
