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.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the US Embassy-Manila Special Operations Command Pacific INDOPACOM Augmentation and Philippines Information Team convened on May 18, 2023, for a consultative meeting. The meeting aimed to explore potential areas of cooperation, intensify border control, and strengthen the relationship between the two agencies.

The BOC Port of Clark busted an attempt to smuggle 1,028 grams of High Grade Marijuana or Kush Marijuana worth P1,696,200.00 on May 5, 2023.

The Bureau of Customs-Port of Clark, together with the Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), arrested two claimants of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or “Shabu,” worth P1,055,010.00 on May 15, 2023.