POLICE Regional Office-10 (PRO-10) confiscated smuggled cigarettes valued at approximately P17 million in two separate operations conducted Sunday, January 19, in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon.
Brigadier Gen. Jaysen de Guzman said the first operation occurred at 3:21 am in Pantar, Lanao del Norte.
Acting on a tip from an informant, personnel from the 1005th Mobile Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion-10 (RMFB-10), in coordination with Pantar Municipal Police Station (MPS), flagged down a blue Isuzu Canter truck suspected of carrying contraband from Malabang, Lanao del Sur.
An inspection of the truck revealed smuggled cigarettes valued at P5,088,000, including 82 master cases of Canon cigarettes, 31 master cases of Champion cigarettes, 590 reams of Canon cigarettes, and 120 reams of Champion cigarettes.
The driver, identified as alias ‘Raffy,’ a 21-year-old resident of Barangay Tangcal, Tugaya, Lanao del Sur, was taken into custody.
The seized items and vehicle were turned over to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Iligan City, while charges for violations of Republic Act 10643 (Graphic Health Warnings Law) and Republic Act 8293 (Intellectual Property Code) are being prepared.
In a separate operation at 2:20 pm in Dangcagan, Bukidnon, police flagged down a truck loaded with smuggled cigarettes during a checkpoint in Purok 1, Barangay Lourdes.
Two suspects, identified by their aliases as ‘Chris,’ 26, from Zamboanga Sibugay, and ‘Ian,’ 36, from Zamboanga City, were arrested.
The truck carried 300 boxes of Cannon Menthol cigarettes worth an estimated P12 million. The contraband reportedly originated from Sapad, Lanao del Norte, and was bound for Cagayan de Oro City. The items have also been turned over to the BOC for proper disposition.
“We will continue to strengthen our efforts in the fight against smuggling and other illegal activities in Northern Mindanao,” said de Guzman during Monday's flag-raising ceremony.
