THE Bureau of Customs-Port of Cagayan de Oro (BOC-CDO) issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention against 4,300 reams of undocumented cigarettes that were apprehended in Kapatagan and Sultan Naga Dimaporo in Lanao del Norte.
The confiscated smuggled cigarettes were estimated to be worth P3.584 million based on current market value.
The contraband seized in Kapatagan were already turned over to the BOC Sub-Port of Iligan, while the Sultan Naga Dimaporo were handed over a few days after.
The cigarettes and the vehicle used to transport the same were seized for violation of Sections 1113 (f) and 117 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and National Tobacco Administration (NTA) Rules and Regulations.
Since May 2024, the BOC-CDO, together with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army, have apprehended an estimated amount of P29.359 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in Northern Mindanao and nearby provinces.
“The initiative by the Port of CDO to improve coordination with various law enforcement agencies is essential in fulfilling our mission to fortify border security against illicit trade, including the trafficking of illegally imported tobacco products,” BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio remarked.
(PHOTO CREDIT: BIR Facebook page)