Smuggled vapes worth P3.26B destroyed

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the destruction of nearly three million smuggled electronic vapes at the Bureau of Customs (BoC) in South Harbor, Manila on Monday, with the total value of the seized products estimated at P3.26 billion.

The operation, aimed at curbing the illegal entry of hazardous goods into the country, was part of the ongoing government efforts to deter smuggling.

In his speech, Marcos commended the BoC, the Department of Finance, and the Department of Trade and Industry for their effective collaboration in combatting smuggling. He pointed out the increased success in identifying and destroying illegal goods in the past year and a half.

“I am happy to report that the level of smuggled goods we’ve found and destroyed has steadily increased over the last year and a half,” Marcos said.

He added that in 2023 alone, the government confiscated over P3 billion worth of electronic vapes.

“The numbers doubled last year. And just from January to March, we are on track to seize even more illegal vapes,” he noted.

Marcos also expressed concern over the way the seized vape products were marketed, especially their packaging, which he noted appeared to target children with their vibrant and colorful designs.

“It’s worrying because if you look at the packaging, it’s really designed for kids. That’s why their target market is children,” Marcos said.

He emphasized the dangers of vaping, particularly the unregulated nature of the products.

“They want to teach kids to get addicted to vapes. And the vape is dangerous because it contains visible poison. Since we can’t inspect smuggled goods, we don’t know where they’re from,” he said.

Marcos stressed the lack of oversight regarding the production process of the smuggled products, which raises concerns about their safety.

In a separate interview, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto indicated that the seized products likely originated from China.

According to Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, the vape shipments came from various international ports, and Filipino consignees were involved in smuggling the goods into the country.

Rubio said the Filipino consignees would be charged under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).

“It’s a violation of RA 11900, and for the bureau, the violation is smuggling under the CMTA,” Rubio said.

RA 11900 regulates the importation, manufacture, packaging, sale, and distribution of nicotine, non-nicotine, and novel tobacco products. The law aims to safeguard the public health by controlling the flow of such products into the country.

In addition to the destruction of the vapes, Marcos reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continue its crackdown on illegal electronic vapes.

“We will continue to do this. I want to highlight the efforts we are making and the dangers posed by these smuggled vapes. Beyond the loss of revenue to the government, the more important issue is the health risks they bring,” he said.