The Department of Finance said the Bureau of Customs (BOC) confiscated P4.43 billion worth of products from 478 operations involving suspected smuggling activities in the first five months of this year.

Preliminary BOC data revealed counterfeit products accounted for P1.98 billion of the seized commodities, followed by general merchandise worth P864.44 million, the DoF said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Its tightened watch  on cigarette shipments entering the country has led to numerous seizures and apprehensions of illegally imported tobacco products, which accounted for P759.89 million of the value of suspected smuggled goods confiscated so far by the agency,” the statement continued.

During that time, the Customs bureau claimed it seized P373.16 million in illegal drugs, P221.81 million in agricultural items, and P39.13 million in worn apparel.

Electronic parts and products worth P23.54 million, firearms worth P40.12 million, cosmetics, personal protective equipment, and other medical supplies worth P54.12 million, vehicles and accessories worth P23.47 million, wildlife worth P3.73 million, and alcoholic beverages worth P3.91 million were also seized.

The bureau also seized P45.77 million in currency, jewels, petrol, chemicals, and other merchandise between January 1 and May 31.

According to the Finance department, the BOC filed 38 criminal charges with the Department of Justice against 144 respondents suspected of smuggling activities, as well as 23 administrative proceedings with the Professional Regulation Commission against erring customs brokers, between January 1 and May 28.

The bureau has ordered the closure of 26 customs-bonded warehouses and 40 members of customs common-bonded warehouses after completing its assessment of 391 customs warehouses across the country.

Due to the bureau’s ongoing efforts to improve valuation and collection, it raised P48.6 billion in May, a 58.05 percent increase over the same month last year, according to the Bureau of the Treasury’s latest cash operations report.

Overall, it boosted its receipts by 18.57 percent year over year, reaching P249.6 billion at the end of May 2021.