A joint anti-smuggling operation by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), on 22 June 2026, led to the seizure of twenty-three (23) containers of illicit cigarettes valued at PHP1.7 billion.
The operation stemmed from intelligence information provided by the NBI, which the BOC immediately acted upon, leading to the joint enforcement operation.
During the operation, authorities accounted for all 24 containers: 16 were located at a private shipping facility in Tondo, Manila; four were found aboard the vessel ASC BIG BOY; and four had already been dispatched to various warehouses. Three of the dispatched containers were successfully retrieved, while efforts to locate the remaining one container are ongoing. The vessel ASC BIG BOY is now in the custody of the PCG.
Initial inspection confirmed that 23 of the containers contained cigarettes without the required tax stamps, as validated by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, with more or less 29,900 master cases valued at approximately PHP1,716,000,000.00.
Investigation revealed that the containers were misdeclared as consumer goods and loaded onto the vessel ASC BIG BOY at Pier 7, a private wharf in Cebu, before being transported to another private wharf in Tondo, Manila under the same operator.
The findings indicate possible violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (Republic Act No. 10863), particularly on misdeclaration of goods (Section 1400) and unlawful importation (Section 1401), as well as provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code (Republic Act No. 8424), as amended, specifically on the possession and removal of excisable goods without payment of excise tax and without the required tax stamps (Sections 263 and 265).
Deputy Commissioner PMGen Emmanuel Luis D. Licup (Ret.) of the Intelligence Group led the inspection alongside NBI Director Melvin A. Matibag, Department of Finance Undersecretary Rolando T. Ligon, PCG Rear Admiral Christopher Meniado, and representatives from the National Tobacco Administration on Tuesday morning. They are joined by other BOC officials, including Deputy Commissioner PBGen. Nolasco Bathan (Ret.), Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service Director Thomas Narcise, Enforcement and Security Service Director Noel Estanislao, Manila International Container Port District Collector Geoffrey De Vera.
A full inventory and valuation of the seized goods are currently being conducted by the authorities.
Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno expressed appreciation to the NBI for the timely intelligence information that led to the operation, and to the PCG and BIR for their crucial support during the inspection.
The BOC, together with partner agencies, continues its investigation and case build-up to determine liability and pursue appropriate legal action. The BOC remains committed to strengthening enforcement efforts against illicit trade and protecting government revenues.
