CLARK, PAMPANGA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Clark announced on Monday, August 18, 2025, that it has intercepted a shipment of misdeclared vape products from China valued at P8.244 million.

According to a press release, the seizure took place on August 11, 2025, after the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) received a tip. The shipment, which was initially declared as “non-commercial items such as shoes and clothes,” underwent an x-ray and physical examination.

Customs personnel discovered 69 boxes containing a total of 20,610 pieces of Black Ultra vape pods. On August 12, a Warrant of Seizure and Detention was issued for the shipment due to violations of several sections of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), as well as a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) order.

A recipient of the shipment was arrested on August 14 in Quiapo, Manila, during a joint operation with the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and the CIIS.

BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno stated that the agency “will remain steadfast in guarding our country’s borders to protect Filipino consumers from illegal importations.” Port of Clark District Collector Jairus Reyes also commended the effectiveness of their intelligence gathering and personnel.

The BOC stated that the operation aligns with its mandate to secure the country’s borders and protect public health and safety, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.