Photo courtesy of PNP
Police arrested three people and seized an estimated Php 20.8 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes after a cargo truck allegedly breached a checkpoint in Misamis Oriental, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.
The operation was conducted on July 11 at the Regional Border Control Point in Barangay Kibungsod, Magsaysay by joint police units conducting routine inspections.
Authorities said the truck driver ignored police orders to stop, triggering a pursuit that ended with the vehicle’s interception.
A search of the truck uncovered 520 master cases of suspected smuggled cigarettes hidden beneath bundles of abaca fiber.
The three suspects and the seized items were brought to the Magsaysay Municipal Police Station for documentation and the filing of appropriate charges.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the operation reflected the police force’s continuing campaign against smuggling and other illegal economic activities.
He said authorities would continue intelligence-driven border operations to prevent the movement of illegal goods and protect legitimate trade.