Customs seizes over P2.5-B smuggled cigarettes and drugs

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) on Tuesday reported that its anti-smuggling campaign against illicit cigarettes and drugs has resulted in the seizure of over P2.5 billion worth of illicit products as of March 2.

Of the total seizures as of March 2, P1.8 billion were smuggled cigarettes and cigarette manufacturing materials, while P760 million were dangerous drugs.

This includes the sweeping campaign led by the BoC across Western Mindanao and Zamboanga City, where it confiscated P634.86 million worth of smuggled cigarettes. It marked the largest single-day cigarette-related crackdown since 2015.

A separate operation was also mounted on Feb. 9, where the BoC, along with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), successfully intercepted a shipment at the Manila International Container Port.

The shipment was carrying P272 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as shabu, marking the largest drug haul recorded by the BoC so far this year. It was misdeclared as “marble.”

“These enforcement efforts reflect a firm commitment to protecting lawful trade and preserving fair market conditions,” the BoC said in a social media post on Tuesday.

Customs Commissioner Ariel D. Nepomuceno said that the BoC intensified intelligence-led and inter-agency-coordinated enforcement operations to strengthen border security and combat illicit trade.

“In 2025 alone, the BoC conducted 1,024 interdiction operations, including 143 drug seizures valued at P5.630 billion and 317 cigarette-related seizures amounting to P1.8 billion, reflecting the Bureau’s sustained efforts to curb smuggling and protect lawful trade,” the agency said.

The commissioner attributed the results to stronger inter-agency cooperation and robust data-sharing between the BoC, the Department of Interior and Local Government, PDEA, Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, and Armed Forces of the Philippines, among others.

To further strengthen cooperation, the BoC has entered a memorandum of agreement with PDEA on Feb. 26 to ensure faster interdictions and seamless joint operations.

The agreement seeks to establish integrated databases, real-time information sharing, and enhanced scanning and inspection at ports of entry. — Justine Irish D. Tabile