The value of smuggled goods seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has reached a record of nearly P42.5 billion as of December 1.
The BOC said its anti-smuggling campaign has resulted in 825 seizure activities from January 1 to Dec. 1, 2023.
In terms of value, counterfeit goods topped the list of seized products valued at P24.36 billion.
This is followed by illegal drugs valued at P7.58 billion, agriculture products at P3.78 billion and cigarettes and tobacco at P3.77 billion.
Customs commissioner Bienvenido Rubio earlier said the BOC once again surpassed its monthly collection goal in November, by 1.5 percent.
The agency generated over P75.34 billion for the month of November, representing a revenue surplus of P1.089 billion.
From January to November, BOC also surpassed its revenue goal, reaching P813.651 billion, 2.2 percent above the P795.966 billion target.
The overall revenue for this year also registered a positive upswing, up 3.09 percent in comparison to the previous year’s collection of P789.246 billion.
“Our stringent revenue collection initiatives resulted in a significant increase in the bureau’s collection,” Rubio said.
Rubio said the BOC is fully committed in enhancing trade efficiency to collect more funds for the various public service programs of the government.
The BOC said digitalization initiatives were intensified through systems that streamline procedures and reduce processing times in import and export transactions. Additionally, the bureau has heightened border control and security measures to combat illicit trade and customs fraud, contributing to improved revenue collection performance. – Angela Celis
