OVER P12.92 billion worth of smuggled goods, mostly illegal
drugs, were seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) from January to October this
year.
In a report, the agency said it was able to foil the entry of shabu shipments worth a total of P2.96 billion in three separate incidents, while other illegal substances worth P151.74 million were also confiscated over the 10-month period.
According to Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, the bulk of the goods seized as of October 24 this year were mostly counterfeit products worth a total of P7.81 billion, and which were intercepted in 14 separate incidents in various ports.
Cigarettes and other tobacco products valued at P1.69 billion were also confiscated by the BOC, along with P107.59 million worth of agricultural products, Guerrero reported during a recent Department of Finance (DOF) Executive Committee meeting.
The other seized goods were vehicles and accessories worth P67.25 million; used clothing valued at P54.66 million; steel products, P12.61 million; general merchandise valued at P9.39 million; and other products, P58.20 million.
Guerrero reported that as of October this year, the agency has already filed at least 20 cases against illegal operations that impede revenue collections and revoked the accreditation of 160 importers, and 20 brokers.
“The Bureau of Internal Revenue stepped up its drive to improve tax administration, with the temporary closure of 567 establishments under its Oplan Kandado program from January to September 2019, BIR deputy commissioner Arnel Guballa said.
“This represents a 346.45-percent increase over the 127 closures the bureau had implemented in the previous year,” he added.
The BIR collected P798.7 million in taxes from the tax-delinquent firms over the January to October 2019 period.
The amount was reported to be P444.9 million or 125.75 percent higher than the previous year’s collections of P353.8 million under the Oplan Kandado program. Jove Moya