Two days after the Bureau of Customs-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) conducted a joint inspection on currency declarations at NAIA Terminal 1, the BOC-NAIA intercepted undeclared foreign currencies amounting to 47 million Japanese Yen or PhP17.2 million on 27 June 2024 at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City.

The undeclared currency was discovered in the check-in baggage of a Korean national during a routine x-ray inspection. A subsequent physical examination revealed several bundles of Japanese Yen.

The arriving passenger shall be charged with violation of the regulations of the BSP on Cross Border Transfer of Currencies and Republic Act No. 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

“Illegal activities such as this undermine the integrity of the financial system and puts the Philippines at risk of becoming a potential hub for financial crimes. We are determined to crack down on these schemes thru active coordination with AMLC, BSP, and other law enforcement agencies involved,” said Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio.

“We are actively strengthening our efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing through enhanced measures and proactive collaboration,” he added.