BOC intercepts undeclared 10 million Japanese yen at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) yesterday reported the interception of an undeclared 10 million Japanese yen, estimated to be at P3.762 million, from an arriving passenger at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 on Nov. 29.

Of the amount, only 1,560,000 yen or $10,000 was returned to the passenger, which falls within the legal limit of the amount of cash a passenger can carry without declaration.

The BOC said the remaining 8,440,000 yen, or about P3,175,128, was confiscated due to the passenger’s failure to declare the amount in the e-Travel system.

According to the BOC, the undeclared currency constitutes violations of Sections 117, 1400 and 1401 of Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, as well as the manual of regulations on foreign exchange transactions of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.