• President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the public condemnation of over P3.26 billion worth of smuggled vape products on April 7 at the Bureau of Customs in South Harbor
• The condemned contraband included nearly three million pieces of electronic cigarettes, vape parts, and accessories seized in 10 separate operations across Metro Manila
• The operations were led by the Manila International Container Port, Port of Manila, and the BOC Intelligence Group
• These seizures contribute to the agency’s anti-smuggling campaign, which intercepted P6.658 billion in illicit goods in 2024 and P483.1 million in illegal vape products in Q1 2025
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. led the public condemnation of over P3.26 billion worth of smuggled vape products on April 7 at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in South Harbor, Manila.
The condemned contraband included nearly three million pieces of electronic cigarettes, vape parts, and accessories seized in 10 separate operations across Metro Manila in 2024, spearheaded by the Manila International Container Port, the Port of Manila, and the BOC Intelligence Group.
In his remarks at the condemnation ceremony, Marcos underscored the importance of sustained anti-smuggling efforts, particularly in light of the growing presence of illicit vape products that pose serious risks—especially to minors.
He commended the agency for its intensified campaign against illegal imports and acknowledged the BOC’s increasing success in intercepting and dismantling smuggling operations. “I’m happy to be able to report to the country that the levels at which we have been able to find these smuggled goods and to eventually destroy them has increased steadily over the last year and a half,” the President said.
“These products not only violate customs laws but pose serious risks to consumer health,” said Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, who joined the President in denouncing the smuggled items. “Today’s condemnation is a clear message to smugglers that the government is relentless in its pursuit of unlawful trade,” said Rubio.
The vape crackdown forms part of the BOC’s broader anti-smuggling campaign, which recorded 48 major operations in 2024, resulting in total seizures worth P6.658 billion. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the agency intercepted an additional P483.1 million worth of illegal vape products, reflecting heightened vigilance.
The BOC attributes its enforcement success to a mix of domestic and international intelligence cooperation, data-driven targeting systems through its Risk Management and Cargo Targeting Systems, and legal mechanisms such as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA). The operations also align with Republic Act No. 11900, or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act, which governs the regulation and taxation of vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products.
Also in attendance were Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto, Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Aldeguer-Roque, and Atty. M. Marcus Valdez II, supervising head of the Office for the Special Mandate on Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products.
