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BOC files 65 criminal cases in the first quarter of 2023
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75% of the complaints are related to imports of agricultural products
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The rest are related to fuel, food, cigarettes, general merchandise, and used clothing
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BOC said it is sending a strong message to smugglers that their illegal activities will not be tolerated
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) filed 65 criminal cases with the Department of Justice in the first quarter of 2023, the majority or 75% of which involved agricultural products.
The BOC in a statement said 49 of the total number of complaints were related to imports of agricultural products, while the rest involved fuel, food, cigarettes, general merchandise, and used clothing.
“The Bureau of Customs remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguard our country’s borders and to protect our local industries from the harmful effects of smuggling, and we will not rest until we have put an end to this illegal activity,” Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio said, noting BOC efforts to combat smuggling have been significantly improved in recent months.
The anti-smuggling campaign has yielded positive results in recent years, resulting in the seizure of millions of pesos worth of smuggled goods and filing numerous criminal complaints against smugglers, the BOC said.
It added it has collaborated closely with other government agencies and international organizations to improve border security and combat transnational smuggling syndicates.
With the filing of 65 criminal complaints in the first quarter of 2023 alone, the BOC is sending a strong message to smugglers that their illegal activities will not be tolerated. “We will remain vigilant in our efforts to combat smuggling, and we will not hesitate to take legal action against those who seek to violate our laws and jeopardize the welfare of our nation,” Rubio said.
The BOC filed 105 criminal cases against alleged smugglers in 2022.
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