THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized a record-breaking P72.091 billion worth of smuggled goods in the first ten months of 2024, surpassing the total amount seized in the entirety of 2023.
The BOC, in a statement released Sunday, reported that P3.09 billion worth of smuggled goods were seized in October alone. This includes P2.3 billion worth of various commodities, P22.3 million worth of cigarettes, and a P420 million vessel carrying smuggled petroleum products.
The agency also reported the interception of P42.16 million worth of illegal drugs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and the seizure of P323 million worth of smuggled sacks of rice.
This brings the total value of smuggled goods seized from January to October to P72.091 billion, a significant increase from the P43.29 billion recorded for the entire year of 2023.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto highlighted the economic and social impact of smuggling, stating, “From a finance and budgetary point of view, it is an economical form of warfare, because good intelligence saves lives, disarms threats, defuse tensions, and stop conflicts and crimes from happening.”
“In the case of smuggling of goods, it is a crime that victimizes millions—from farmers who suffer from the influx of imported agricultural products, to entrepreneurs whose businesses are unfairly impacted by illegal trade,” he added.
The BOC, tasked with supervising and controlling the clearance of vessels and aircraft engaged in foreign commerce, aims to collect nearly P1 trillion this year, following its P883.624 billion revenue generation in 2023.
metrosundaily
