Top officials from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday conducted a press conference and on-site inspection of seized cigarettes and manufacturing equipment inside a factory in Barangay Panipuan, Mexico, Pampanga.

Leading the inspection were DILG Secretary Juanito Victor C. Remulla, BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, and PNP Chief General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., along with Bureau of Customs Port of Clark District Collector Jairus Reyes.

The inspection followed the recent shutdown of the facility by the BOC over alleged illegal cigarette manufacturing activities. Authorities earlier discovered large quantities of cigarettes and production machinery inside the compound, believed to have been used to produce and package various cigarette brands without proper permits and tax compliance.

The site was previously raided on January 28 by the BOC, in coordination with the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Philippine Coast Guard, following the national government’s intensified campaign against illicit trade. During the operation, authorities found cigarettes branded “Two Moon,” along with machines and materials for producing other brands suspected to be smuggled or illegally manufactured.

During Thursday’s press conference, officials reiterated the government’s commitment to dismantle illegal cigarette operations, citing their impact on public health, legitimate businesses, and government revenue.

Authorities emphasized that the ongoing investigation will determine possible criminal, administrative, and tax-related liabilities tied to the operation, as inventory, valuation, and verification of seized items continue.

The inter-agency operation forms part of the broader directive of the national government to intensify anti-smuggling and anti-illicit trade efforts nationwide, particularly against large-scale illegal cigarette manufacturing and distribution networks.