The delegates from the Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC), led by Enforcement Deputy Commissioner Atty. Teddy S. Raval, participated in the World Customs Organization (WCO) Drug Enforcement Customs Expert Workshop held on 8-10 April 2025 in Seoul, South Korea.

Organized by the WCO and the Korea Customs Service (KCS), the workshop served as a platform to discuss effective implementation of joint operations, focusing on sharing intelligence on high-risk drug trafficking methods, improving Customs drug targeting and inspection procedures, and strengthening investigation and enforcement capacities.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Commissioner Raval thanked the organizers and emphasized the importance of the workshop. “This growing concern makes the partnership we share with our national drug agency and international partners in the ASEAN and Asia Pacific Region become more and more imperative. Fora such as this workshop and the participation in various anti-drug joint operations had been a good platform in increasing awareness. We want more participation, as well as joint operations, to further build our network and share our experience so that we may also be of help to other administrations. More interdiction of illegal drug trade will eventually save thousands of lives, families, economies and the future”, he stated.

Special Police Lieutenant Danilo Jamito, Jr. and Special Agent II Alona De Guzman also shared the Philippine’s drug seizure experience and the existing domestic and international cooperation on anti-drug operations.

The workshop was attended by representatives from Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and the WCO Regional Intelligence Liaison Office (RILO).

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has consistently emphasized the importance of strengthening border security and international cooperation in addressing the global drug menace. The BOC’s involvement in this high-level forum aligns with the President’s directive to intensify enforcement actions and uphold national security.

“As the nature of transnational crimes grows more complex, the Bureau of Customs must evolve in both mindset and method. This workshop reinforces our resolve to pursuing progressive development of our enforcement strategies—not in isolation, but through shared expertise and cross-border collaboration,” Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio stated.