US T OM S A ZE T TE CThe Official Newsletter of the Bureau of Customs G Volume 3 Number 1 • May-June 2020 BOC hits revenue collection target in June as import volume improves Despite the effects of or P1.8 billion. The BOC were able to hit their Port of Aparri, and Port of Covid-19 on the overall collected a total of P42.539 respective targets, namely: Limay. trading environment and billion against the target of the Port of San Fernando La The BOC’s positive revenue the impact of the stringent P40.739 billion in June. Union, Port of Legaspi, Port of collection performance is community quarantine, the Based on the preliminary Cebu, Port of Tacloban, Port the result of intensified Bureau of Customs (BOC) report from the BOC-Financial of Cagayan De Oro, Port of collective effort of all ports surpassed its June 2020 Service, eleven of the Zamboanga, Port of Davao, and the gradually improving collection target by 4.4% seventeen collection districts Port of Subic, Port of Clark, volume of importation. (See more in page 14) Port of Zamboanga seizes 124M The BOC-Port of Zamboanga, togeth- worth smuggled cigarettes and er with elements of (1) Zamboanga City cigarette-making machines Police Station 8 and Joint Task Force Zamboanga and (2) with the lead of Zamboanga Peninsula inter-agency anti-smuggling team, intercepted 124M-worth smuggled cigarettes and cigarette-making machines on May 26 and May 29, 2020 respectively. On May 26, 2020, 300 cases of assorted cigarettes bearing the brands Gundang Baru, Cannon White, Famous, BOC NAIA condemns 2 tons of unsafe (See more in page 3) medicines and meat products The Bureau of Customs NAIA condemned BOC prepares for the 'New Normal', 2 tons of seized medicines and meat pushes ICT Projects products int Trece Martires, Cavite on The Bureau of Customs (BOC) pushes May 22, 2020. Some of the shipments implementation of more Information and that were condemned are unregistered Communications Technology (ICT) projects medicines with an estimated weight of that will speed up trade, strengthen border 350 kilos. These medicines were seized security and protect government revenues for failure to obtain necessary clearances in response to the “new normal” brought from the Food and Drug Administration about by the COVID-19 pandemic. (FDA), rendering them unsafe for human consumption. (See more in page 10) (See more in page 6) BORDER 2 PROTECTION BOC seizes smuggled cigarettes and Chinese medicines The Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) intercepted the smuggled cigarettes and Chinese medicines in a warehouse located in Valenzuela City last April 30, 2020, and another warehouse in Manila on May 01, 2020. Said items were not cleared with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Upon serving the Letter of Authority (LOA) and mission order signed by Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero to the owner of the subject Intelligence and Investigation seizure of 186.2 kilograms City and was misdeclared as warehouse, members of Service (IG-CIIS), Enforcement of unregistered medicines US$ 15 - worth of “Plastic BOC-ESS, Valenzuela PNP and and Security Service (ESS), in 3 separate operations, as Boxes” consigned to a male Barangay Officials discovered NBI-Special Action Unit (SAU) follows: 2.2 kilograms of Filipino with an address in 238 master cases of assorted and backed up by personnel medicines on April 27, 2020; Tondo, Manila. imported cigarettes and five of the Philippine Coast Guard 4 kilograms of medicines Lastly, on May 28, 2020, boxes of Chinese medicines (PCG). The combined on May 07, 2020; and 180 the BOC NAIA seized 180 containing 48,000 of operatives served a Letter kilograms of medicines on kilos of medicines with no FDA medicinal tablets. The goods of Authority (LOA) received May 28, 2020. clearance, with an estimated were seized and taken into by a Chinese national The April shipments value of Php700,000.00. The custody for failure of the representative of the were concealed in three 3 seized shipment from Xiamen, owner to present the required warehouse. Among the items separate packages to 3 Fujian, China was declared import documents. The found were boxes containing different consignees with the as “vitamin pills” and Bureau operatives also PPE, surgical masks, same shipper address. All consigned to a male learned that the tablets were medicines and other medical were found to be misdeclared individual from Muntinlupa Chinese medicines allegedly supplies. as “Resin Handicraft”. This is City. Upon physical a new modus in evading the examination of the goods, it being used to treat COVID-19. BOC NAIA intercepts In another operation, an required License to Operate was found that the shipment estimated Php 40 million unregistered and and Certificate of Product contained Chinese medicines worth of Chinese medicines misdeclared Chinese Registration from the Food which were imported without were discovered in a medicines and Drugs Administration on the necessary License to the importation of medicines. Operate and Certificate of warehouse located in The intensified anti The second shipment was Product Registration from Singalong, Malate, Manila City smuggling efforts of the BOC sent through air cargo to one the Food and Drugs by operatives from the BOC’s NAIA personnel resulted in the Intelligence Group - Customs of the warehouses in Pasay Administration (FDA). BOC intercepts fake cigarettes, raw tobacco materials, cigarette-machines worth more than Php 1.3 billion Operatives from the Bureau machines and 300 boxes of Philippine Drug Enforcement joint group of operatives on of Customs–Enforcement and tobacco raw materials stored Agency (PDEA) and Philippine board a vessel conducted Security Service (BOC-ESS) inside the subject warehouse. Marines K9 - unit of inspection upon its arrival intercepted various assorted The said goods were Western Mindanao Command at Ensign Majini Pier. The fake cigarettes, raw tobacco immediately seized for lack (WESMINCOM) intercepted inspection resulted in the materials and cigarette of permit and violation of P55 million worth of seizure of 2,500 smuggled packing machines with an Customs laws, rules and smuggled cigarettes on board master cases. Members of estimated value of P1.3 regulations. a motor launch bound for the ESS are currently conducting billion in a warehouse in On May 31, 2020, the Philippines. an inventory of the Isabela on May 28, 2020. Customs Intelligence and The operation stemmed apprehended cigarettes which Inventory included roughly Investigation Service (CIIS) from an information that a shall be subject to seizure and 2,000 master cases of and Enforcement and motor launch from Indonesia condemnation procedures. assorted cigarettes, 10 units Security Service (ESS) field loaded with assorted of cigarette-making machines, offices in Zamboanga, in smuggled cigarettes was 12 units of cigarette packing coordination with the bound for Siasi, Sulu. The 3 BORDER PROTECTION Port of Zamboanga seizes 124M worth smuggled cigarettes and cigarette-making machines From page 1 Port of Cebu seizes over Project, and the Philippine and May 1, 2020 and were Canyon, Berlin and Fort Php 76 million worth of Coast Guard, the shipment consigned to Vierport cigarettes were seized in smuggled cigarettes was confirmed to contain International Co. and Anikas Istanbak, Brgy. Lower Calarian, 1,522 master cases of Will Industry Corp. which were Zamboanga City. The smuggled The Port of Cebu seized one smuggled cigarettes. put on hold a day after arrival cigarettes with an estimated (1) container of suspected dates and examined on Friday, value of Php 10,125,000.00 fake Mighty and Marvels brand Port of Manila seizes May 8, 2020. The BOC-POM are believed to have come cigarettes with an estimated Php 52 million worth of then conducted 100% physical from Malaysia or Indonesia for street value of Php76 Million misdeclared and fake examination of the containers, distribution in ZAMBASULTA on 11 June 2020. The cigarettes together with the Philippine area. The operation stemmed shipment which was Drug Enforcement Agency The Bureau of Customs from the information received consigned to Giomab (PDEA). (BOC)-Port of Manila (POM) that certain individuals have Trading and misdeclared as For the fake Mighty and seized Php 34.7 million worth been engaged in cigarette “oval dish” arrived from China Marvels cigarettes, the of Two Moon brand cigarettes smuggling in Lower Calarian on Wednesday, 10 June 2020. shipment consigned to on May 8, 2020 in two near the Petron Depot. Prior to the seizure, a Mvetisery Industrial Supply containers, which were The other operation on May Pre-Lodgement Control Order which arrived from China on misdeclared as furniture 29, 2020 by the Zamboanga was issued on the shipment May 22, 2020 was placed and blinds; while on June Peninsula inter - agency on the basis of a on hold and was issued a 03, 2020, one (1) container anti-smuggling team was a derogatory report from IO3 Pre-Lodgement Control Order of fake Mighty and Marvels sequel to the previous raids in Carlo A. Bautista, Chief of last May 27, 2020 after a brand cigarettes with an the region. It yielded another Customs Intelligence and derogatory information was estimated worth Php 17.38 Php14 million worth of fake Investigation Service (CIIS), received by the POM from million was seized for unlawful and imported cigarettes and Cebu Field Station. During the the BOC-Enforcement Group importation. Php100 million worth of 100% physical examination (EG). After complete physical The alert for the misdeclared materials for manufacturing of conducted by Customs examination, the assigned shipments came from cigarettes. The previous raids Examiner Edy Neil D. Customs Examiner assessed derogatory information from on similar items resulted in the Camalongay, together with total duties and taxes the BOC-Enforcement Group confiscation of cigarettes and representatives from the CIIS, amounting to Php 9.96 million.