BOC seizes goods worth P72B from Jan-Oct 2024

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized goods worth P72.091 billion from January to October 2024, surpassing its total haul of P43.29 billion in 2023.

In October alone, the BOC confiscated P3.09 billion in smuggled goods, including counterfeit items, cigarettes (worth P22.3 million), and illegal drugs worth P42.16 million intercepted at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, as well as a smuggling vessel carrying petroleum products valued at P402 million.

Finance Secretary Ralph Recto emphasized that combating smuggling is an economical form of warfare that saves lives and prevents conflicts.

BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio highlighted the importance of intelligence cooperation among agencies during the Inter-Agency Intelligence Summit in Batangas, stressing the need for both traditional and modern approaches to effectively combat illicit activities.

The BOC's mandate includes supervising foreign commerce vessels and aircraft, aiming to collect nearly P1 trillion in revenues this year.