BOC seizes P40.5M worth of smuggled vapes

The Bureau of Customs seized P40.5 million worth of smuggled vape products from China at the Manila International Container Port on July 14, 2025.

Customs officials conducted a 100 percent physical examination of three containers declared to contain kitchenware but actually holding illegal vape products and other regulated goods.

Warrants of Seizure and Detention were issued on July 23 after the discovery of 81,000 pieces of assorted vape products along with sacks of fully refined paraffin wax.

BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno emphasized the importance of vigilance in addressing unlawful importation and highlighted the agency's whole-of-agency approach that prioritizes intelligence, swift execution, and legal action against smugglers.

The Bureau is now undertaking a case build-up to identify and prosecute those responsible for smuggling operations involving vape products, which pose significant health and economic risks.