The Bureau of Customs has seized P42.4 billion worth of smuggled goods from January to Nov. 24 this year.
In a briefing, BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said the amount confiscated this year is double the more than P20B worth of smuggled goods seized in the same period last year.
He said strict enforcement led to the confiscation of more smuggled items.
“We attribute this to stricter enforcement,” he said.
Of the total amount, counterfeit goods, which amounted to P24.3B, topped the list of smuggled goods followed by illegal drugs, P7.5B; agricultural products, P3.77B; cigarettes P3.76B; general merchandise P963.6 million; and fuel, P716.3M.
Also included in the list were vehicles and accessories, used clothing, steel products, electronics, cosmetics, firearms, food, chemicals, and jewelry.
“This is already the highest that the BOC seized and we still have a month left,” Rubio said. – PNA
