The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized 112,750 units of unregistered vape products worth P95.734 million at the Port of Manila (POM).
In a statement on Thursday, the BOC said the government would have lost P70 million in duties and taxes if the vape products were smuggled into local stores.
The unregistered vapes, misdeclared as insulated cups, were seized in two separate operations at the POM.
The first shipment was flagged by the agency’s enforcement group, leading to the inspection of two 40-foot high-cube containers, the BOC said.
The examination uncovered 233 cartons containing 46,600 assorted flavored vape products, with an estimated market value of P23.3 million.
In a separate operation, three additional shipments were suspected of containing unmanifested goods. During physical examination, customs examiners discovered 66,150 undeclared vape products hidden in boxes of insulated cups. The illicit items had an estimated total value of P72.434 million.
The BOC said it has been enforcing Republic Act No. 11900 — the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Reg
ulation Act — in coordination with other government agencies, to uphold product standards and prevent minors’ access to vape products.
BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio warned smugglers against bringing contraband into the country, emphasizing the government’s firm stance against the illicit trade.
He stressed in his statement that the agency would not stop at apprehensions and would be filing criminal cases against violators.
