Customs destroys P129 million in abandoned cigarettes in Bulacan

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) completed the destruction of an estimated 3,000 cases of assorted-brand cigarettes valued at more than P129 million in Bulacan this month. The Port of Subic conducted the disposal operation on contraband recovered from three shipping containers at Santa Maria, according to BOC statements released Wednesday.

Customs officials employed two destruction methods to eliminate the seized cigarettes: mechanical shredding and pyrolysis, an extreme-heat melting process. The dual approach ensures complete destruction of the tobacco products, preventing any possibility of the goods re-entering the black market.

The operation represents part of the BOC's ongoing efforts to combat smuggling and regulate illegal cigarette imports into the Philippines. Abandoned or unclaimed contraband regularly undergoes destruction to maintain customs enforcement integrity and protect government tax revenues from illicit trade.

The Philippines faces significant challenges from cigarette smuggling, which undermines domestic tobacco tax collections and supports illegal trading networks. Customs authorities continue to intensify interdiction and disposal operations at major ports nationwide to address the issue.