Four 40-foot containers of illegally imported cigarettes worth P96.698 million were apprehended by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the Port of Davao.
Following advance information from intelligence sources, BOC-Davao issued an alert order against consignee Allycorp International Inc.’s shipments, which had been declared to contain 910 cartons of plastic cups and 3,015 boxes of various fabrics. The ensuing 100% physical examination by authorities revealed the misdeclaration, as the containers were actually filled with 3,628 boxes of assorted brands of cigarettes.
“Customs Davao’s active alert monitoring procedure against illegal importations in collaboration with partner agencies remains vital in securing our area of responsibility,” BOC-Davao district collector Atty. Erastus Sandino Austria said in a statement.
Austria issued warrants of seizure and detention against the illicit articles for violating relevant sections of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), particularly Section 1400 for misdeclaration and Section 117 for regulated and importation, as well as Executive Order No. 245, which created the National Tobacco Administration.
As of September 28, BOC Davao has seized illegally imported cigarettes worth an estimated P302.235 million.
