BOC destroys P1.3 billion seized cigarettes, machines

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) yesterday destroyed more than 5,000 master cases of smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes as well as fabricating machines and raw materials with an estimated value of P1.3 billion seized during the community quarantine in Zamboanga peninsula.

Segundo Sigmundfreud Barte Jr., Zamboanga district collector, said the destruction of the seized items was witnessed by representatives of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, local police and other law enforcement agencies.

“All these contrabands were seized in Zamboanga peninsula with the coordination of other security and law enforcement agencies in the past four months of intensified anti-smuggling campaign,” Barte said.

He said the government loses P50 for every pack of smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes.

In Northern Mindanao, BOC agents seized P20.7 million worth of smuggled cigarettes, also yesterday.

John Simon, BOC-Region 10 district collector, said 2,150 reams or 188,824 pieces of various cigarette brands were confiscated.

The cigarettes were destroyed using a shredding machine at a non-hazardous waste disposal facility in Barangay Bayabas in Cagayan de Oro City.

The BOC has yet to identify the consignees of the shipment, which arrived at the port of Ozamiz and Mindanao Container Terminal sub-port in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental on Aug. 25 and Sept. 1.

Oliver Valiente, chief of the BOC’s regional Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, said the cigarettes came from China and neighboring countries.