Value of seized cigarettes, vapes quadruples in 2026 — BOC data

Bureau of Customs. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — The estimated value of illegal cigarettes and vape products confiscated by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in 2026 so far has already quadrupled the value of those seized last year, according to data shared by the agency’s Enforcement and Security Services (ESS).

Customs personnel seized nearly P11.680 billion worth of cigarettes and vape products from January to July 2026, according to statistics shared by ESS acting director Noel Estanislao during a House of Representatives ways and means committee hearing on Tuesday.

The P11.680-billion figure so far in 2026 was 464.26 percent higher than the nearly P2.516 billion worth of cigarettes and vape products confiscated for the entirety of 2025.

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Value of seized cigarettes, vapes quadruples in 2026 — BOC data

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