LTO, BoC intensify fight vs smuggling

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Tuesday finalized a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening controls over imported vehicle registration and combating smuggling.

BoC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno and LTO chief Vigor D. Mendoza II signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to increase transparency and coordinated enforcement.

“This mutual cooperation with the LTO reinforces our shared goal of ensuring transparency, efficiency, and strict compliance with customs laws and other government regulations,” Nepomuceno said.

“By working together, we want to make sure that every vehicle import and registration process is handled with the highest standards of integrity,” he added.

Mendoza said the agreement is not merely ceremonial; it will immediately lead to the formation of an LTO-BoC Task Force, fulfilling President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to fully digitalize data monitoring and prevent fraud.

Under the agreement, the two agencies will improve data sharing for key documents, including Certificates of Payment, Certificates of Registration and Official Receipts.

They will also form a joint task force to lead enforcement operations against unlawfully imported vehicles, including those misclassified or misdeclared in violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

The agreement is designed to safeguard the public by helping deter fraudulent practices, curbing unfair competition, and protecting government revenues.

Also, the BoC and LTO are scheduled to form a Joint Technical Working Group within 30 days to develop and implement the necessary rules and guidelines for the agreement’s effective rollout.