THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized P10.629-billion worth of smuggled goods in 2020, with cigarettes accounting for more than half of its total haul.
In terms of the estimated value of smuggled goods that the BOC seized from January to December last year, cigarettes comprised 54 percent or P5.77 billion, followed by illegal drugs (P1.855 billion) and counterfeit goods (P1.056 billion).
In its 2020 accomplishment report, the BOC also said its intensified campaign against smuggling yielded a total of 997 seizures.
It also filed 74 smuggling cases last year before the Department of Justice, up from 69 and 27 smuggling cases in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
Other smuggled goods seized by the bureau were general merchandise (P406.38 million); vehicles and accessories (P356.53 million); agricultural products (P284.62 million); food stuff (P236 million); personal protective equipment, medical supplies, and cosmetics (P196.58 million); used clothing (P168.29 million); electronics (P95.17 million); other products (P73.95 million); wildlife and natural resources (P66.43 million); currency (P32.59 million); steel products (P11.82 million); jewelry (P7.28 million); chemicals (P5 million); alcoholic beverages (P2.43 million); and firearms (P303,000).
The bureau seized smuggled goods worth P5.068 billion in 2018 and P20.584 billion in 2019.
As earlier reported, the Department of Finance had cited preliminary data showing the BOC collected a total of P533.88 billion last year, overshooting its downscaled target of P501.33 billion by 6.49 percent.
According to BOC’s accomplishment report, it collected P1.218 billion in revenues as a result of the post clearance audit it conducted on importers suspected to have violated provisions of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
It also raised P1.077 billion from conducting public auction of containers that have been seized, abandoned or forfeited.
For 2021, the BOC vowed to implement customs modernization program, intensify its post-clearance audit and post-modification measures, encourage additional 15 regulatory agencies to participate in the National Single Window, fully implement Authorized Economic Operator Program and promote and apply the Advance Ruling program, among others.