Bureau of Customs (BOC) personnel seized up to P107 million worth of cigarettes when suspects attempted to smuggle them using fake papers into the Port of Davao in Davao City recently.
According to a report by the BOC-Port of Davao, the shipment was confiscated last July 14, containing 1,205 boxes of Astro brand cigarettes and 942 boxes of YS brand cigarettes.
The intelligence report of the BOC-Intelligence Group and Enforcement Group said two container vans arrived at the Davao International Container Terminal (DICT) on July 10 and were declared to contain 2,180 boxes of tissue papers. Upon physical inspection, authorities discovered the cigarettes inside the container vans.
Two more containers arrived at the same terminal on July 12, declaring 1,940 boxes of tissue paper. But when it was subjected to x-ray inspection and physical examination on July 16, it turned out that the contents of the boxes were 942 boxes of YS brand cigarettes and 941 boxes of Fort brand cigarettes.
The cargo owner allegedly did not declare the details of their shipment in the “e-manifest.”
Due to the active collection of intelligence reports, the destination of the shipment to Davao City, where it was seized, was determined.
Customs Davao District Collector Atty. Erastus Austria released “warrant of seizure and detention (WSD)” on the cargo due to the corresponding violations.
Also read: 2 Chinese nationals arrested in Quezon City drug buy-bust
Two weeks ago, a Chinese businessman was arrested after authorities seized almost P9 million worth of suspects smuggled cigarettes from him at Oringo Subdivision, Barangay City Heights, General Santos City.
A total of 271 boxes of such cigarettes were confiscated. Half a million pesos cash was also recovered.
The suspect said his friend left the boxes to him and asked him to wait for the cigarette’s buyer. The buyer did not arrive after a week until the police operatives test-buy him.
According to Police Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, a spokesman for Police Regional Office 12, four sachets of shabu were also obtained from the Chinese, but the suspect denied it.
Selling cellphones is the suspect’s source of income. His wife is a Filipina and has been in the country for ten years.
