Public Safety

Bureau of Customs escalates anti-smuggling operations seizing P2.5B in illicit p

The Bureau of Customs reported seizures exceeding P2.5 billion in illicit products, including P1.8 billion in smuggled cigarettes and P760 million in dangerous drugs, with a landmark P634.86 million cigarette haul in Western Mindanao marking the largest single-day crackdown since 2015. The agency attributes these enforcement successes to strengthened inter-agency coordination and intelligence-led operations, including a recent memorandum of agreement with PDEA to enhance border security and combat illicit trade through integrated databases and real-time information sharing.