BOC files agricultural smuggling

Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno leads the filing of six criminal complaints before the Department of Justice in Manila on 22 September 2026 against individuals, including BOC officials and personnel, allegedly involved in agricultural smuggling. The complaints stem from shipments misdeclared as “chicken lollipops” to conceal thousands of sacks of onions and boxes of carrots imported without required regulatory clearance.