Recently, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in the Philippines has launched a large-scale operation against luxury car smuggling, raiding car dealerships and warehouses across Metro Manila in just one week, seizing illegally imported luxury cars worth over 2.8 billion pesos. The vehicles involved include top world brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche, and Rolls-Royce, with seizures taking place in cities including Taguig, Pasay, Makati, and Parañaque.
This operation has attracted public attention, with many speculating whether the government will soon intensify efforts to combat luxury car smuggling. In response, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian submitted Senate Resolution No. 1318 on February 26, formally calling for an in-depth investigation into recent cases of luxury car smuggling, emphasizing that these illegally imported vehicles cause significant tax revenue losses and damage the local legitimate car market.
Gatchalian pointed out that despite the Philippine government's multiple measures to combat smuggling, the phenomenon of illegal luxury car imports remains rampant. He believes that existing law enforcement measures should be re-evaluated to strengthen supervision and punitive efforts.
According to the Customs Bureau, on February 13, the department seized luxury vehicles worth approximately 1.4 billion pesos in warehouses in Pasay and Parañaque; on February 14, another batch of luxury cars worth 366 million pesos was seized in Makati; on February 19, a car dealership in Taguig was raided, seizing 44 luxury cars worth about 900 million pesos. Customs officials stated that these vehicles are suspected of evading tariffs.
According to customs regulations, vehicle owners or responsible parties must submit proof of legal import and tax payment within 15 days after receiving the Letter of Authority (LOA), otherwise, they will face vehicle confiscation and legal accountability. Additionally, those involved can choose to pay the overdue tariffs and related fees to retrieve their vehicles.
The Bureau of Customs in the Philippines continues to investigate enterprises and individuals involved in smuggling and vows to strictly combat such illegal activities to maintain a fair market environment and protect national tax revenues.
