BOC Raids Fake Marlboro Cigars

Seizure Order against the counterfeited cigarettes Served by EG

Thousands of packs of counterfeited Marlboro cigarettes have been raided by the Bureau of Customs – Enforcement Group (BOC-EG), headed by Deputy Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, on the 15th of October 2015 in Manila.

Bureau of Customs, Enforcement Group (EG), received highly reliable information that fake cigarettes have been smuggled into the country.

Deputy Commissioner Nepomuceno wasted no time and fast-tracked necessary actions in order to recover the said contrabands for seizure, forfeiture and proper disposition pursuant to law.

Covered with a Letter of Authority signed by BOC Commissioner Alberto D. Lina and Mission Order issued by Deputy Commissioner Nepomuceno, the Customs raiding team led by Lt. Geronimo Y. Azarcon carried out the specific instructions of the EG Deputy Commissioner for the effective execution of the said operation.

The Customs raiding team initially coordinated with the local station of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as well as with the Brgy. Chairman of the target area. Then, Azarcon and his team, joined by Mr. Jonathan Torento of PMFTC Inc., proceeded to the suspected four-storey building and was accepted by a certain “Linda”.

The said woman quickly denied to be the owner of said building and further presented documents that the same building located at No. 1741 Old Antipolo Street corner Pedro Guevarra Street, Sta, Cruz, Manila, was registered as Paloma General Merchandise.

A total of Thirty One Thousand Nine Hundred Eighty Six (31,986) packs of Marlboro Red, Marlboro Lights, Marlboro Lights Menthol, Philip Morris, Fortune Menthol, Fortune Lights, Fortune Blue, Jackpot Menthol, Jackpot Red, Hope, More, Fortune Red, Marlboro Black Menthol and Mighty Menthol 100s were found in storage and being offered for sale to the public.

Right after the operation, EG recommended the issuance of a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) as the fake cigarettes were imported in violation of Section 2530, Property Subject to Forfeiture Under Tariff and Customs Laws, of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, as amended, in relation with Republic Act No. 8293 or The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.

The confirmed report of the EG moved the District Collector of the Port of Manila to issue the WSD dated 16th of October 2015.

Source: customs.gov.ph