THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) said on Monday that it collected nearly P166 billion in duties in 2021 from its fuel marking program, which is designed to address smuggling. READ:
Since September 2019, the government has been seeking to deter fuel smuggling by injecting a special dye into fuel products to signify tax compliance. Absence of the dye serves as an indication that the fuel was smuggled.
“Tanks of eight retail stations these unmarked fuel were found likewise sealed and recommended for filing of criminal cases,” the BoC said. The bureau also plans to donate over 6,000 liters of unmarked diesel fuel it seized to the Philippine Coast Guard for use in anti-smuggling operations. The Customs district collector in the Clark port forfeited the fuel in favor of the government after the management of the gas station — the Luzon Petromobil Integrated Service Stations, Inc. — officially abandoned its claim on the seized products.