BOC seizes P4.8 billion smuggled items in Binondo

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) confiscated an estimated P4.8 billion worth of alleged smuggled vapes and assorted counterfeit branded items last Sept. 6 in a warehouse in Binondo, Manila.

BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio issued the Letter of Authority (LOA) that was used by their Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) in inspecting the contents of the warehouse.

Reportedly found inside the warehouse were smuggled vapes and counterfeit branded items, cosmetics, school supplies and general merchandise.

Rubio believes the operation last Friday could be “one of the biggest operations” of the bureau this year in terms of discovered goods.

“In recent months, we’ve been monitoring several warehouses for violation of intellectual property rights. As these groups and individuals become more brazen in their attempts to circumvent our laws, the more that our BOC personnel – from top to bottom – will find and prosecute them,” he said.

The BOC would schedule the final inventory of the contents inside the warehouse and assign a Customs examiner. In the meantime, the bureau has padlocked and sealed the storage areas.

The warehouse owners and operators were given 15 days from the service of the LOA to submit documents and show that the subject imported goods were legitimately imported and that correct duties and taxes were duly paid pursuant to Section 224 of Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).

If they fail to present the proper documents, they can face charges for violating Section 117 (regulated importation and exportation) and Section 1400 (misdeclaration in goods declaration) in relation to Section 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of the CMTA.

They will also face charges in accordance with Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, and Republic Act 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law.