BOC seizes P4.6-B vapes

The Bureau of Customs has confiscated an estimated P4.6 billion worth of smuggled electronic cigarettes or vapes during a two-day crackdown on warehouses in Metro Manila, a BOC official said yesterday.

- EVELYN MACAIRAN

In a statement, BOC Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) director Verne Enciso said the vapes found in the warehouses are suspected to have been smuggled from China.

Armed with letters of authority issued by BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, operatives raided 20 warehouses on Governor Pascual street in Potrero, Malabon on March 1 after receiving a tip that these warehouses were used to store smuggled vapes.

In one warehouse, BOC-CIIS operatives reported finding 8,400 boxes of Flava brand vapes.

Each box held 100 vapes priced at P550 each, bringing the market value of the vapes to P462 million.