PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. again gave his stamp of approval to the leadership of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) headed by Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, as he personally witnessed the destruction of more than 2 million pieces of smuggled electronic cigarettes, vape products and accessories worth more than P3.26 billion last April 7, 2025, at the Port of Manila.
Joining the President and Rubio during the condemnation were Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Ralph Recto, Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina Aldeguer-Roque and
Atty. M. Marcus N. Valdez II, Supervising Head of the Office for the Special Mandate on Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products (OSMV), and other top customs officials.
In a statement, Commissioner Rubio noted that the huge seizure, the biggest thus far involving e-cigarette products, was the result of the unrelenting campaign against smuggling last year headed by the Intelligence Group (IG) under Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy.
In total, the IG conducted 10 major operations targeting e-cigarettes and vape products in 2024.
“They (operations) contributed to the BOC’s larger anti-smuggling campaign, which recorded 48 successful operations in 2024, resulting in the seizure of PhP6.658 billion worth of illicit goods.
“In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the Bureau has already intercepted an additional PhP483.117 million worth of illegal vape products,” the customs chief noted.
He added their campaign is also anchored on the provisions of Republic Act No. 11900, or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act, which mandates the regulation and taxation of such products.