T
he Bureau of Customs (BOC) has ordered the closure of a warehouse located in Malabon City that was found to be storing an estimated P1.2 billion worth of suspected illicit vapes and counterfeit goods.
Agents from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service -Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) conducted a raid at the facility in Barangay Tañong.
They discovered disposable vapes branded as Kylinbar, which lacked Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers. They also found counterfeit shoes, electronic devices, and bags from well-known brands.
The raid also yielded various appliances, garments, cosmetics, household products, and other general merchandise.
The operation was carried out based on a Letter of Authority (LOA) signed and issued by Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, who urged the public to remain vigilant against counterfeit goods, emphasizing the serious health risks these products may pose.
“We see fake cosmetics being sold as branded goods. If these products have not gone through the proper testing and licensing, consider the risks you are taking,” Rubio said.
“Unfortunately, the global marketplace allows access to these goods, which unscrupulous vendors sell to unsuspecting customers, profiting at the expense of consumers’ health and safety,” he added.
CIIS Director Verne Enciso explained that they acted immediately upon receiving the LOA from the Commissioner. The operation was supported by the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
BOC Deputy Commissioner for the Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy also appealed to the public about the dangers of purchasing counterfeit goods. “While buying fake items may seem like a bargain, we want to remind the public that it only fuels criminal enterprises,” he said.
“These same businesses are often involved in money laundering, forced labor, and even organized crime. Smuggling is just the tip of the iceberg; there is much more beneath this crime, and we need to stop the flow of money that supports it,” Uy noted.
The CIIS-MICP team temporarily padlocked and sealed the warehouse, with an inventory scheduled to be conducted by Customs examiners and agents from the CIIS, ESS, and storage representatives.
The warehouse owners and operators were given 15 days from the service of the LOA to present documentation, proving that the imported goods were legitimately acquired and that the appropriate duties and taxes were paid, as mandated under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).