Customs bureau destroys P50 million worth of misdeclared cigarettes

Operatives of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) - Port of Cagayan de Oro have destroyed P50 million worth of misdeclared cigarettes from China.

The misdeclared cigarettes were destroyed inside a warehouse facility in Opol, Misamis Oriental on Friday, October 2, the BOC said in a statement.

“A team led by District Collector John Simon, District Commander of Enforcement and Security Services (ESS) SP/Capt. Abdila Maulana Jr., District Chief of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Oliver Valliente and personnel from Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Northern Mindanao, condemned through crushing 79,800 reams of cigarettes,” it said.

The BOC said also condemned with the illicit cigarettes is the shipment consigned to Fern Freight Enterprises which arrived at Mindanao Container Terminal in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental on May 14,2020 and declared to be office furnitures.

“District Collector Simon issued a Decree of Abandonment for the shipment upon failure to lodge or request for extension of lodgement of its goods declaration within 15 days from the discharge of the last package from the carrying vessel as provided under Sec. 407 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act,” the Customs said.

The shipment has been previously issued with an alert order.

This was followed by a 100% physical examination which revealed the shipment actually containing cigarettes, the BOC said.

A portion of the destroyed cigarettes is from the shipment consigned to Dong Yin Industrial Supplies which arrived on June 9,2020 at Mindanao Container Terminal declared to be disposable cups, according to the bureau.

“A Warrant of Seizure and Detention was issued against the shipment consequently followed by an Order of Forfeiture upon being found out to contain cigarettes,” the BOC said.

Subsequently, the BOC’s Accounts Management Office (AMO) revoked the accreditation of both consignees for violation of Customs rules and regulations.

Earlier, the Port of Cagayan de Oro destroyed 18,000 reams of smuggled cigarettes on September 9. -NB, GMA News