By Samantha Yu
MANILA — In a major enforcement action, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized a shipment of smuggled cigarettes valued at PHP235 million at the Port of Batangas in Batangas City on Friday, an operation personally overseen by Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno.
The shipment contained 637 master cases of MAC Super Slim Ice Cool Blast Cigarettes that lacked the legally required graphic health warnings under Republic Act 10643 and did not carry Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) stamps, violating tax regulations.
A warrant of seizure and detention was issued by District Collector Carmelita Talusan for infractions of Sections 117 and 1113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Nepomuceno reiterated the BOC’s commitment to a relentless fight against illicit tobacco. “Those seeking to profit from illegal trade at the expense of law and public health will be pursued to the fullest extent,” he said.
According to records, the BOC has conducted 127 successful cigarette-related seizures from Jan. 1 to March 6, totaling around PHP2 billion in confiscated goods. The bureau continues to coordinate closely with other law enforcement agencies to strengthen the national response against illegal tobacco trade.
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