The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) jointly presented an estimated PHP1.4 billion worth of illicit vaporized nicotine products to the public on Monday, March 23 as a result of surveillance and enforcement operations at a warehouse in San Rafael Village, Navotas City.
The operation was carried out through validated intelligence gathered by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, which led to the issuance and service of a Letter of Authority (LOA) on March 21.
Approximately 3,174,000 units of illicit vape devices and pods were confiscated. In addition, the DTI and the BOC discovered illegal promotional materials (PR kits), including T-shirts, jackets, caps and lanyards bearing the names of vape brands that have already been suspended from trading.
Atty. M. Marcus N. Valdez II, Assistant Secretary and Supervising Head of the DTI Office for the Special Mandate on Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products, their Devices, and Novel Tobacco Products (OSMV), noted that several of the identified brands had already been the subject of regulatory action, having been previously suspended in 2024 due to packaging violations, including non-compliance with the required placement of tax stamps and graphic health warnings.
He emphasized the risks posed by unregulated products and urged the public to exercise caution and avoid purchasing from unlicensed brands. He assured that, once formally turned over, the products will be subjected to condemnation proceedings to ensure that they are permanently removed from circulation and prevented from re-entering the market.
Meanwhile, BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno stated that the success of the operation reflects growing public trust as it was through an informant that the agency was able to identify the warehouse.
The DTI provided technical assistance in identifying the brands and determining the valuation of the confiscated products.
The DTI and the BOC reaffirm their commitment to intensify efforts against the entry, distribution and sale of illicit goods in the country.
