Davao port authorities have intercepted illegally imported cigarettes valued at over P107 million.
The Port of Davao under the Bureau of Customs, in coordination with its intelligence and enforcement groups, intercepted four 40-foot containers of cigarettes.
The first two containers, reported as containing 2,180 boxes of tissue papers, arrived at Davao International Container Terminal (DICT) on July 10 with no goods declaration from the consignee, Golden Aark Enterprises, the bureau said.
Authorities conducted verification and found that the shipment instead contained 1,205 boxes of Astro Branded Cigarettes and 942 boxes of YS filter cigarettes.
On July 12, two more misdeclared containers arrived at the DICT, containing 942 boxes of YS filter cigarettes and 941 Fort Branded Cigarettes.
Earlier on June 3 at sub-port Dadiangas in General Santos City, Customs authorities intercepted 1,325 boxes of smuggled cigarettes from Vietnam, estimated to cost P24 million. Jojo Mangahis