The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday intercepted P80 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and face masks in Bulacan.
BOC’s Enforcement and Security Services Quick Reaction Team (ESS-QRT) and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) raided a warehouse in Barangay Sta. Rosa in Marilao and found cases of counterfeit cigarettes and boxes of fake N95 face masks .
“Armed with a Letter of Authority (LOA) signed by BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero, members of the ESS-QRT and CIIS in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) raided the warehouse and discovered 1000 master cases of illicit cigarettes which included brands such as Marlboro premium cigarettes among others,” the BOC report reads.
“The raid also yielded 648 boxes of fake N95 masks which copied designs and logos of famous luxury fashion brands,” it added.
The confiscated items were transported to ESS Security Coral in Port of Manila for further investigation.
Last August 4, BOC seized P15 million worth of luxury products declared as “canned goods” and a sports car worth P33 million. Ma. Veracel A. Martinez