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Aubrey Rose Inosante - The Philippine Star
June 20, 2026 | 12:00am
Customs deputy commissioner for intelligence Emmanuel Luis Licup told the 3rd International Tobacco Summit that the haul forms part of more than P13.5 billion worth of smuggled and prohibited goods confiscated nationwide this year.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has confiscated about P7.2 billion worth of illicit tobacco and e-cigarette products since January, as authorities continue to intensify intelligence and enforcement operations.
Customs deputy commissioner for intelligence Emmanuel Luis Licup told the 3rd International Tobacco Summit that the haul forms part of more than P13.5 billion worth of smuggled and prohibited goods confiscated nationwide this year.
“This year alone, we have confiscated more than P5.6 billion worth of illicit cigarettes and tobacco products, and approximately P1.6 billion worth of illegal vape and e-cigarette products,” he said.
Licup said seizures are expected to climb further by year-end as authorities tighten monitoring at ports and look to probe the importation of manufacturing machines used for illicit tobacco.
“Illicit trade is not a challenge that any single agency can solve alone. It requires sustained cooperation, shared responsibility and a common commitment to uphold the law,” Licup added.
Meanwhile, data from the Philippine National Police estimated that the confiscated smuggled cigarettes and equipment reached P8.63 billion as of June 16.
Illicit tobacco and vape trade continues to drain government coffers, eroding excise tax collections that could bankroll state projects while undercutting legitimate businesses.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), for its part, is pushing for the creation of a dedicated police unit similar to Customs police.
“I believe that will help the BIR in enforcing our excise tax laws, especially when our officers visit the premises of some of those engaged in illicit trade,” BIR assistant commissioner James Roldan said.
From 2023 to 2026, the BIR filed 310 smuggling cases with the Department of Justice, covering an estimated P17 billion in tax liabilities.
Even as an estimated four million new smokers emerged over the past two years, the BIR estimated that P40 billion to P52 billion is lost annually from smuggled and untaxed cigarettes.
