Marlboros Seized in Philippines Customs Raid

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 02/02/2009

The Philippines' Bureau of Customs (BOC) recently confiscated cigarettes valued at P15 million as they were about to be sent to Vietnam and Holland declared for shipment as furniture and groceries, according to a report in The Philippine Star. Acting on a tip off, agents from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service intercepted the cigarettes that had been loaded into two 20-foot containers supposedly carrying 490 pieces of furniture and 450 cases of assorted grocery items. Representatives of Philip Morris International were reportedly present when the containers were opened at the Manila International Container Port and 500,000 packs of Philippine-made Marlboro cigarettes labeled "for domestic sale only, not for export" were found. The cigarettes will be put up for public auction after forfeiture proceedings, the BOC said. Enditem