The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized an estimated P105.575 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes in Bataan during the first working week of 2026, marking one of the agency’s largest tobacco interdictions to date and underscoring its intensified campaign against illicit trade.
The seizure was carried out by a composite team from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) and Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) assigned at the Port of Limay.
The BOC inspected a compound in Barangay Santa Isabel, Dinalupihan, Bataan, where they discovered 12 motor vehicles loaded with approximately 1,030 master cases of cigarettes. The tobacco products bore various foreign brands.
The cigarettes were believed to have originated from China, Vietnam, and Korea. The total value of the seized goods was placed at P105,575,000, representing significant losses in unpaid duties and taxes had the products entered the local market.
Initial investigations indicate that the smuggled cigarettes were intended for distribution in Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon regions, raising concerns over the scale and reach of illicit tobacco networks operating in the country.
Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the successful operation demonstrates the government’s relentless drive to combat smuggling and protect government revenue.
