Photo courtesy of PNP
Police seized suspected smuggled cigarettes worth more than Php 7 million and arrested eight people in a series of operations in Zamboanga Sibugay and Pampanga, the Philippine National Police said.
The seizures were carried out from August 16 to 17 and involved several shipments with a combined estimated value of about Php 7.02 million.
In Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay, authorities stopped two individuals at a checkpoint and recovered 40 master cases of suspected smuggled cigarettes valued at roughly Php 2.29 million.
Later the same day in Ipil, police arrested another individual and found 30 master cases of New Berlin cigarettes worth an estimated Php 1.72 million.
A separate operation in Tungawan early August 17 led to the arrest of one person and the recovery of 20 master cases and 249 reams of suspected smuggled cigarettes valued at around Php 1.43 million.
In Mexico, Pampanga, four individuals were arrested after police recovered assorted cigarette products believed to have been smuggled, with an estimated value of Php 1.58 million.
The confiscated cigarettes were placed under police custody and were set to be turned over to the Bureau of Customs for further action, while the arrested individuals underwent documentation and case processing.
“We want our people and businesses to know that we are paying attention to this kind of activity. Kapag may nakikitang kahina-hinalang shipment o transportasyon ng mga produkto, mahalaga ang mabilis na koordinasyon sa mga awtoridad. Our job is to act on what is reported and make sure that every operation is handled properly and within the law,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez said.