P323M smuggled cigarettes destroyed in Zamboanga City | Inquirer News

Source: Inquirer.net
Author: Adrian Parungao

MANILA, Philippines -- The Bureau of Customs (BOC) destroyed 5,624 master cases of smuggled cigarettes in Barangay Tetuan, Zamboanga City, on Thursday.

The BOC said the cigarettes, valued at P323 million, were seized in various operations in Mindanao from May to November 2023.

The cigarettes were drenched in water, crushed, and then disposed of in a landfill.

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio emphasized the agency's commitment to controlling tobacco product entry and proliferation in the country.

"The Bureau of Customs will be persistent in its relentless efforts to stop the proliferation of unlawfully imported tobacco products in the country and safeguard the nation's interests against smugglers," he said.