A total of 691 customs operations yielded P18.11 billion in seized commodities through the first half of the year, with agricultural and food items forming the bulk of the value.
Tobacco and cigarettes alone accounted for P9.88 billion across 219 seizures, exceeding half of the overall total.
The agency also reported 58 seizures of agricultural products worth P427.35 million and six foodstuffs seizures valued at P17.25 million.
These figures exclude a separate P23.27 million seizure of frozen agricultural products and foodstuffs from China on July 21.
In a recent event, five containers flagged by customs intelligence were seized after being declared as food products such as squid balls, fish tofu, and tofu varieties.
Inspection revealed a range of misdeclared and illegally imported frozen items, including peeled and skinless chicken breast, frozen pigeon, Peking duck, and other frozen meats, with an estimated value of P17.03 million and duties of P6.24 million.
Officials emphasized the importance of monitoring deliberately misdeclared shipments to protect the economy, the farm industry, and public safety.
Warrants of seizure and detention were issued under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and the Food Safety Act of 2013, and the shipments may face further investigation for potential violations of the Anti‑Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.
The seized goods are candidates for disposal, as they entered the country late last year.
Separately, a new directive urges district collectors to expedite the release of perishable imports that remain unpaid, unclaimed, or unreleased after customs clearance.
Under the memorandum, importers will receive notices of delinquency and final demands, with a three‑day window to release their goods; non‑compliance could trigger auction and additional penalties.
District collectors must report to the Commissioner every fifteen days on notices issued, revenue collected, and the status of remaining shipments.
