Manila: About PHP1.8 billion worth of smuggled cigarettes and manufacturing materials and PHP760 million of illegal drugs have been confiscated as of March 2, Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said.

According to Philippines News Agency, a major interdiction was carried out on Feb. 9 with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), leading to the interception of a shipment at the Manila International Container Port containing an estimated PHP272 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) misdeclared as 'marble.' This operation marks the largest drug haul recorded by the bureau so far this year.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) also seized PHP634.858 million in smuggled cigarettes across Western Mindanao and Zamboanga City, marking the largest single-day cigarette-related crackdown since 2025. Commissioner Nepomuceno highlighted that in 2025 alone, the BOC conducted 1,024 interdiction operations, including 143 drug seizures valued at PHP5.630 billion and 317 cigarette-related seizures amounting to PHP1.8 billion.

Nepomuceno emphasized the importance of strong personal relationships between heads of agencies, attributing the high and effective inter-agency trust to these connections. With the strengthened inter-agency coordination, the BOC and PDEA inked a memorandum of agreement on Feb. 26. This agreement establishes integrated databases, real-time information-sharing, and enhanced scanning and inspection protocols at ports of entry to ensure faster interdictions and seamless joint operations.