Overview
- Authorities said six shipments arriving from Narita between December 22 and January 3 contained about 19,779.5 kilograms of illegal tobacco equal to 954,380 packs.
- Officials estimated a commercial value of roughly 70.7 million pesos for the seized product.
- The operation blocked an estimated 16,224,460 pesos in IEPS evasion at 17.03 pesos per pack, though some outlets reported a much larger, inconsistent figure.
- Investigators detailed tactics such as false declarations, undervaluation, altered airway bills, and mixing illicit cargo with legitimate consignments processed through formal logistics channels.
- SEMAR, SSPC, SAT/Aduana, FGR, SEDENA, and the National Guard carried out the interdictions with information shared by Japanese counterparts, and no arrests have been announced.