A warehouse in Nueva Ecija allegedly being used to manufacture counterfeit cigarettes and manned by around 20 Chinese and 100 Filipino workers was raided by the Bureau of Customs yesterday.
Agents from the Customs-Enforcement and Security Service discovered the warehouse filled with several boxes of fake cigarettes, machines used in manufacturing the counterfeit products, and fake tax stamps.
Twenty Chinese suspected to be engaged in manufacturing the counterfeit products and 100 Filipinos believed to be behind the illegal operations were arrested, the BoC said.
An undetermined quantity of counterfeit cigarettes of various brands such as Two Moon Blue, Two Moon Menthol, and Marvels with an estimated value of P1 billion were seized during the operation.
Three boxes of fake Bureau of Internal Revenue stamps, five lines of cigarette making machines with three machines per line, six lines of packing machines, one unit of filter making machine, mixer, dryer, and raw materials believed to be used in making counterfeit cigarettes were also found in the warehouse.
The operation was powered by a Letter of Authority signed by Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero. Local concerned offices and police were also part of the raid.
An inventory of the seized products is under way.
An investigation to determine the appropriate cases to be filed in relation to the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act will follow, the BoC said. (Betheena Kae Unite)
