The Bureau of Customs Port of Subic intercepted on August 22 4×40’ containers of cigarettes estimated to be worth P121 million in market value.
The 4×40’ containers arrived at the Port of Subic last August 22 from China and Hong Kong and said to contain Frozen Cinnamon Bread, Frozen Pineapple Pocket Bread, Snake and Ladder Board Games, Dominos Board Games and Rubber Strips but found to contain various cigarette brands.
According to District Collector Marites Martin, this latest apprehension of the Port of Subic was the result of the continuous intelligence and investigative work of the Port.
“Also, adopting and catching up to the modus operandi of unscrupulous stakeholders played a big role in this apprehension for this is the first time that the BOC has seized cigarettes concealed in a refrigerated container van,” Martin explained.
It is popularly known that cigarettes cannot be stored in high moisture containers like reefer vans, yet the smugglers found their means on how to use this kind of transportation.
A 100 percent physical examination is still being conducted by the assigned Customs Examiner to identify if there are other items concealed in the said shipments, the Port of Subic said in a statement.
The Port will be issuing Warrants of Seizure and Detention against the subject shipments and recommend to the Bureau’s Action Team Against Smugglers (BATAS) the filing of appropriate criminal charges against the smugglers. “This serves as a warning and reminder to all that BOC will not let up in its effort to protect the border,” said Martin.
Not only is the Port of Subic performing its mandate to protect the border, but likewise, undertaking its duty to collect revenues as proven by its collection from August 1-28, 2020 amounting to P2,504,586 ,530 which already exceeded by P453.4 million or 22.12 percent positive against its assigned target of P2,051,000,000 for the whole month of August.