BOC seizes P3 billion vapes

MANILA, Philippines — Over P3 billion worth of alleged smuggled electronic cigarettes or vapes from China were seized from two warehouses in the cities of Parañaque and Malabon, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported.

BOC Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service personnel raided the warehouses at the Olivares Compound in Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque and at the Superb Catch Inc. Compound 46 in Barangay Catmon, Malabon on Feb. 29, according to a CIIS statement.

It said the BOC recovered 15,000 boxes containing 100 Flava e-cigarettes each in the Parañaque warehouse and an additional 19,800 boxes with 100 e-cigarettes each  in the Malabon warehouse.

Each e-cigarette confiscated from the Parañaque warehouse could cost P500 each, while those from the Malabon warehouse could be worth P550 each. The total amount of the illicit e-cigarettes is said to be worth P1.839 billion.

The government should have collected from the e-cigarettes excise tax worth P520 each, or a total worth of P1.8096 billion, BOC-CIIS chief Verne Enciso said.

The BOC noted the agency was also examining other warehouses in Parañaque allegedly storing smuggled e-cigarettes, as well as a cold storage unit and a wing van truck in the Malabon warehouse.