The Philippine Bureau of Customs seized an estimated P105.58 million ($1.9 million) worth of illicit cigarettes in Bataan, uncovering more than 1,000 master cases transported in 12 vehicles and traced to shipments originating from China, Vietnam, and South Korea. Authorities said the cigarettes—bearing brands including Modern, RGD, Nise Baisha, and President—were intended for distribution in northern and central Luzon, underscoring ongoing enforcement challenges as Customs intensifies its anti-smuggling campaign amid revenue shortfalls and a higher 2026 collection target.
Category: Illicit Trade
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Overseas Seizures Show Korea Used as Tobacco Smuggling Hub
South Korea’s customs agency said millions of packs of smuggled cigarettes were seized overseas last year through joint operations with foreign authorities, underscoring the country’s growing use as a transshipment hub by international smuggling networks. The Korea Customs Service (KCS) said nearly 5.2 million packs, weighing about 103 tons, were confiscated abroad after being routed through South Korea.
According to the KCS, major seizures included roughly 760,000 packs in the United States, 380,000 in Hong Kong, 260,000 in the United Kingdom, and 230,000 in Taiwan. The total far exceeds the 3.6 million packs detected overseas between 2019 and 2021, highlighting a sharp rise in cases linked to Korea-based transit routes.
A KCS official said cigarette smuggling, like drug trafficking, is a key funding source for criminal syndicates. The agency said it will further strengthen international cooperation to prevent South Korea from being exploited as a logistics hub for global illicit trade.
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Philippines Cracking Down on Illicits, Many Drug Laced
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is stepping up efforts to curb the smuggling and spread of “Thuoc Lao,” or black cigarettes, as part of a broader crackdown on illegal tobacco products. Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said police are strengthening intelligence operations with the Bureau of Customs, Department of Health, and other agencies, following a directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to protect public health.
Authorities say Thuoc Lao—also known locally as “tuklaw”—is a highly potent tobacco product from northern Vietnam, with nicotine levels reportedly reaching up to 9%, far higher than conventional cigarettes. Some variants are also suspected of being laced with synthetic cannabinoids. The product is not authorized for import by the National Tobacco Administration, and officials raised alarms last year after reports that teenagers experienced seizure-like symptoms after smoking it.
The crackdown comes amid broader concerns about illicit nicotine products entering the Philippine market. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has warned that some vape products may contain the same synthetic cannabinoids found in Thuoc Lao, prompting closer coordination between law enforcement and health authorities to prevent further spread and protect youth.
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Malaysian Dealers Doing Bait-n-Switch on Drug-Laced Vapes
Drug-infused vape liquids marketed as “magic mushroom” products in Malaysia are largely mislabeled and instead contain synthetic drugs such as cannabinoids or MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy or molly), according to police and medical experts. While psilocybin mushrooms are classified as an illegal drug in Malaysia, they are at least naturally occurring. Monash University Malaysia addiction psychiatrist Dr. Anne Yee said most vape users—and even sellers—do not know what is actually contained in the products, commonly called Kpods.
Police data show that about 65% of vape liquids and devices seized in 2023 tested positive for synthetic cannabinoids or ecstasy, with no confirmed cases involving psilocybin, the hallucinogen found in real magic mushrooms. Authorities say the “magic mushroom” label is a marketing tactic rather than a reflection of the contents. The Narcotics Crime Investigation Department and Malaysia’s National Poison Centre have both confirmed that chemical analyses have found no mushroom-derived hallucinogens in seized samples, but instead detected new psychoactive substances that can cause hallucinatory effects. Experts warn that the unknown composition of these products poses serious health risks, as symptoms can range from dissociation and hallucinations to anxiety, psychosis, and impaired motor control.
Medical professionals stress that diagnosing affected users is challenging because patients are often unsure what they consumed. Yee said clinicians rely heavily on symptoms and patient accounts, noting that effects beyond nicotine indicate drug-laced products.
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Hong Kong Customs Seizes $3M in Untaxed Cigs
Hong Kong Customs seized about seven million untaxed cigarettes valued at HK$31.5 million ($4.1 million), with an estimated duty potential of HK$23 million ($3 million), during a raid on an industrial building in Fo Tan on December 30. A 45-year-old local man was arrested after officers spotted him moving cartons from a unit late at night, discovering about 600,000 cigarettes on him and another 6.4 million inside the premises.
Customs said the roughly 1,000-square-foot warehouse, formed by merging two units, contained large quantities of cigarettes and packaging materials, indicating plans to repackage and smuggle the products to overseas markets with higher tobacco taxes. Some illicit brands appeared to be stockpiled for the Christmas and New Year period. Authorities said investigations into the source and distribution network are ongoing, and further arrests are possible.
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Polish Police Intercept Balloons Smuggling Cigarettes
Police reported that seven balloons believed to be carrying smuggled cigarettes crossed from Belarus into Poland on Christmas Eve. Four balloons were recovered in the north-eastern Podlaskie region carrying thousands of packets of illegal cigarettes, while three others were tracked in the eastern Lubelskie region. Poland’s Operational Command of the Armed Forces said the balloons were monitored by radar and parts of the airspace were temporarily closed to ensure civilian flight safety.
Authorities said the incident highlights the continued use of radio-controlled weather balloons by smugglers to move contraband across the Poland–Belarus border amid heightened border security. Similar methods have been detected across the region in recent weeks, with Lithuanian officials arresting 21 suspects over balloon-based cigarette smuggling, and Lithuania declaring a national state of emergency on December 9 following repeated airspace incursions linked to smuggling operations.
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$3.2M Illicit Vape Ring Using Fishing Boats Busted in Taiwan
Prosecutors in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, indicted five suspects over a major tobacco smuggling operation uncovered in August, involving contraband cigarettes and heated tobacco products transported by fishing vessels. Authorities seized more than one million packages of undeclared tobacco products worth an estimated NT$100 million ($3.2 million), marking one of the largest busts in the city’s history.
The operation followed months of surveillance by a joint task force comprising police, coast guard personnel, and prosecutors, who tracked three fishing boats suspected of collecting illicit cargo from foreign vessels outside Taiwan’s territorial waters before docking at Singda Harbor.
All seized products were confiscated, and the suspects—three boat captains and two truck drivers—were indicted for violating the Tobacco and Alcohol Administration Act, prosecutors said.
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France Seizes 15 Tons of Tobacco in International Ring Bust
French authorities dismantled an international tobacco trafficking network linked to Bulgarian nationals following a year-long investigation that began in July 2024 with the seizure of 15 tons of illicit cigarettes in western France. The operation uncovered a structured smuggling route moving illegal cigarettes from Italy and Bulgaria through France to Belgium. Investigators later seized 450 kg of cigarettes and 14.7 tons of raw tobacco at a warehouse near Brussels.
Earlier this month, police arrested the suspected convoy organizer and two lorry drivers, confiscating nearly 30 tons of counterfeit cigarettes from two trucks. Six people associated with this network have been charged with organized tobacco trafficking, criminal conspiracy, and money laundering, with three Bulgarian suspects placed in provisional detention.
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UK Seized 1.2M Illicit Vapes in 2025
New figures from UK local councils show that authorities seized an average of two illegal vapes every minute in 2025, removing around 1.2 million illicit devices from high streets nationwide. More than 14,000 enforcement cases were logged involving businesses caught possessing, stocking or selling illegal vaping products, reflecting a sharp rise in unlawful nicotine goods entering local retail outlets.
Over the past year, enforcement teams also confiscated 7.15 million illegal cigarettes, 257,000 illegal disposable vapes and nearly 10,000 nicotine pouches. Consumer confusion remains widespread, with 54% of UK vapers saying they believe they have unknowingly bought illegal products.
The data, compiled by online retailer Vape Club through freedom of information requests to local councils and a survey of 2,000 vapers, found that suspected illegal products were most often bought from convenience stores (36%), followed by vape shops (33%) and market stalls or street traders (26%). Vape Club director Dan Marchant said the trade in non-compliant products is damaging the industry’s reputation and called for tougher enforcement against rogue sellers.
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Thailand Police Bust Illegal Vape Production Hub
Thailand’s Cyber Crime Police dismantled a large-scale illegal e-cigarette production and storage operation in Pattaya, arresting a 36-year-old Chinese national and seizing vaping products and equipment valued at more than 10 million baht ($320,000). Authorities recovered thousands of ready-to-use pods, empty cartridges, coils, devices, large quantities of e-liquid, and manufacturing equipment from a rented house used as the operation’s base. Police said the crackdown aligns with national efforts to curb the illegal trade of prohibited vaping products, particularly those distributed through online platforms and tourist areas.