The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has secured a conviction in a P998-million drug smuggling case stemming from a 2019 seizure at the Manila International Container Port.

On 9 December 2025, a regional trial court in Manila found Muktasil Abundol Assimudin, Emmanuel Paulo Delos Reyes Landicho and George Sim Fernandez guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

Each was sentenced to reclusion perpetua and ordered to pay a P50 million fine.

The case originated from the seizure of about 146.81 kilograms of illegal drugs with an estimated value of P998,306,096, which arrived at the Manila port in January 2019.

"The conviction of those behind this massive drug shipment demonstrates that our enforcement and legal processes are working. We will continue to pursue every case until justice is fully upheld," Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said.

The BOC said it continues to strengthen its legal and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that smuggling cases are pursued through conviction.