Plaridel, Bulacan – On May 26, 2023, a joint operation conducted by operatives of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) led to the seizure of suspected smuggled goods with an estimated value of P900 million. The operation was carried out by agents from the Manila International Container Port (MICP), Intelligence Group, and Enforcement Group, in collaboration with the Philippine Coast Guard.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC), in line with its commitment in the regional trade facilitation, participated in the 26th Meeting of the Working Group on Legal and Regulatory Matters for the ASEAN Single Window (ASW-LWG) on May 23-24, 2023. The meeting, conducted via a virtual conference, brought together delegates from ASEAN Member States, including distinguished representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Single Window (ASW) Project Management Office.

The Bureau of Customs – Port of Subic, led by District Collector Carmelita M. Talusan, CESO V, and the Department of Agriculture – Inspectorate and Enforcement (DA-IE) team, headed by Assistant Secretary James A. Layug, recently held a coordination meeting to strengthen collaboration between the two agencies. The meeting provided a platform for enhancing customs procedures and ensuring compliance with agricultural regulations.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) met with the European Union-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) on May 23, 2023, to strengthen trade and investment opportunities between the Philippines and European businesses, with a focus on supporting the resumption of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between the Philippines and the European Union.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) actively participated in the Korea Customs Week held in Seoul, South Korea, from April 26-28, 2023, representing the Philippines. Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, Deputy Commissioner Vener Baquiran, and Director Clarence Dizon attended the event, alongside other Director Generals and customs officials from other countries.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) – Port of Limay, through the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), successfully seized one (1) lorry truck and one (1) trailer containing 40 kiloliters of diesel on May 21, 2023 at Seafront Shipyard and Port Terminal Services Corporation in Barangay Lucanin, Mariveles, Bataan.

The Bureau of Customs-Port of Clark, together with the Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force (CAIDTF) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), arrested the claimant of Ketamine worth P2,120,000.00 on May 18, 2023.

As part of the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) strengthened campaign against illegal drugs, BOC Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), in collaboration with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG), apprehended a passenger found with cocaine concealed inside his luggage.

In its ongoing efforts to promote and advance the trade facilitation agenda among relevant stakeholders, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) National Trade Facilitation Champions recently partnered with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) to explore electronic trade data exchange.