The Bureau of Customs (BOC), Sub-Port of General Santos, successfully seized 1,368 reams of assorted cigarettes with an estimated value of Php 684,000 on July 4, 2023, in Polomolok, South Cotabato.

The operation was carried out in close coordination with the Bureau’s Customs Intelligence Investigation Service (CIIS) and Enforcement Security Service (ESS), alongside the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) South Cotabato Provincial Field Unit and Polomolok Municipal Police Station. The items were confiscated as part of the entrapment operation conducted under CIDG’s Flagship Project, “Oplan Mega Shopper,” which aims to combat smuggling, manufacturing, distribution, and trading of counterfeited products.

Following the seizure, a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) has been recommended for the confiscated items. Meanwhile, appropriate criminal charges against identified responsible persons are being prepared.

Under the leadership of District Collector Guillermo Pedro A. Francia IV, the Port of Davao and its Sub-Ports remain committed to intensifying their campaign against illegal importation of goods into the country. This effort is carried out in collaboration with partner regulating and enforcement agencies as aligned with Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio’s priority programs. These programs aim to elevate the BOC to international standards in revenue collection, border protection, and trade facilitation.#