• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Assorted brands of untaxed cigarettes confiscated in Barangay 2, Ilog, Negros Occidental on Wednesday (July 10) have a market value of P3.875 million, the police said in a report on Thursday.
A 19-year-old Malaysian and three Filipinos are now in the custody of the Ilog Municipal Police Station, following their arrest for violation of Republic Act 8424 or the Tax Reform Act of 1997.
The Ilog police led by PMaj. Joseph Partidas assisted the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Philippine Coast Guard and Bantay Dagat personnel in the confiscation of 155 boxes containing 7,750 reams of cigarettes.
Partidas said that days before, they received information on the shipment of the contraband in the territorial waters of Ilog and neighboring areas.
Initial police investigation indicated that the smuggled cigarettes came from Zamboanga and were transported to Ilog town for almost two days. | GB
