The Bureau of Customs on Friday underscored its impressive achievements through its X-ray Inspection Project, making a substantial step towards improving border control and protecting national security.

Under the direction of Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy, the XIP — a key division of the Bureau's Intelligence Group — has continuously shown its dedication to protecting the country by diligently monitoring and conducting non-intrusive inspections of goods entering ports across the country.

From January to August 2023, the Bureau's unwavering efforts prevented and stopped countless attempts at smuggling, resulting in the remarkable capture of illegal substances valued at more than P1.161 billion.

The 107 operational x-ray machines of various varieties that have been carefully placed around the country's ports, sub-ports, and airports are at the vanguard of this spectacular success.

Utilizing these tools has been crucial in locating hidden contraband within shipments without the need for intrusive searches, supporting both effective trade procedures and strong security measures.

The BoC said that in the past two weeks, XIP has successfully foiled over P18.5 million worth of illegal drugs and intercepted misdeclared goods in several ports.