Cebu, Philippines — Over P900 million worth of illicit cigarettes were uncovered during a joint enforcement operation at a private wharf facility in Mandaue City, Cebu on Thursday, July 2, according to Bureau of Customs or BOC.
The BOC inspected 25 twenty-foot container vans after serving a Letter of Authority and Mission Order.
Taking part in the operation are personnel from the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
During the inspection, all 25 container vans were found to contain illicit cigarettes with an estimated value of P980 million.
Meanwhile, follow-up investigations to determine the origin of the shipment, identifying the individuals behind the operation, and establishing possible violations of customs and other related laws are still ongoing.