The National Bureau of Investigation-Cebu District Office (NBI-Cebdo) has seized 25 twenty-foot shipping containers containing suspected smuggled cigarettes valued at P900 million at Gothong Wharf in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City. The operation, conducted on July 2, 2026, is a follow-up to a previous seizure of 11 containers on June 24.
Operation Details
According to the NBI, intelligence reports indicated additional containers remained at the port. The NBI-Cebdo coordinated with Gothong Shipping Lines to conduct document verification, intelligence gathering, and surveillance. This led to the identification and securing of the extra containers. Initially, 12 containers were identified, padlocked, marked, and placed under 24-hour security. During a joint inspection on July 2, authorities located the remaining 13 containers, bringing the total to 25 containers suspected of containing illegal cigarettes.
Joint Effort and Legal Proceedings
The operation involved the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Philippine Coast Guard District 7, Mandaue City Police Office, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Mandaue Field Office, barangay officials, and NBI personnel. The containers were sealed by the NBI and BOC pending full inventory, examination, and proper customs and criminal proceedings. The NBI stated that the investigation is ongoing to identify those responsible for importing, transporting, and distributing the suspected smuggled cigarettes, and to determine possible violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (Republic Act No. 10863), the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act (Republic Act No. 12022), and other applicable laws.
