BOC Seizes P4 Million Worth of Rare Agarwood Bound for UAE

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) intercepted a shipment containing 5.7 kilograms of rare agarwood valued at P4.275 million at a Pasay City warehouse. Initially declared as “mahogany chips,” the packages were found to contain agarwood, a highly valuable and protected wood species, and were en route to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The BOC confirmed that the shipment violated several regulations, including the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines (PD 705), and the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (RA 9147).

“The Bureau of Customs continues its pursuit to strengthen the border security measures to and from the country, and we will be relentless against anyone who attempts to violate our customs laws,” stated BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio.

The seized agarwood will be handed over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for further processing.