The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has condemned P763-million worth of forfeited goods for the first quarter of the year.
Of the total, P364 million were counterfeit cigarettes while P197.49 million were forfeited cigarettes and agricultural products, the bureau said in a statement Friday.
The other condemned items were unsafe and hazardous food, raw products, and poultry needs, P111 million; some P51.276 million worth of smuggled automobiles; garments, assorted goods, and general merchandise valued at PHP31 million; mechanical and electric goods estimated at P1.577 million; chemicals worth P5.535 million; and scrap metals amounting to P1 million.
"The goods, prior to their disposal, underwent legal procedures and were forfeited in favor of the government for violation of various pertinent provisions of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act," the BOC stated.
Destruction is one of the modes of disposing of seized or abandoned shipments. Village officials and the media may witness the procedure for transparency.