Three police operations in the cities of Bacolod and Himamaylan in Negros Occidental yielded a total of P49.3 million in smuggled cigarettes, reports of the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) showed.
On Tuesday, two persons, a van driver and his helper, reported to police officers manning a checkpoint in Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod City that they were transporting suspected smuggled cigarettes.
“The two were hired by an unidentified individual to transport the cargo from an unknown warehouse. Upon noticing suspicious markings on the boxes, they immediately informed their employer, who instructed them to proceed to Bacolod City Police Station 4,” the investigation report said.
On their way to the police station around 3 a.m., they passed by a checkpoint and brought the matter to the attention of the police.
The smuggled cigarettes surrendered by driver “Mar” and his helper “Ky” comprised 200 boxes of Tabaco cigarettes and 15 boxes of Cannon cigarettes with an estimated value of P21 million.
The items were endorsed to the custody of Police Station 4 and will be turned over to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for verification.
Down south in Himamaylan City, the regional intelligence unit intercepted P25 million worth of illicit cigarettes in Barangay To-oy on April 13.
Around 5:20 a.m., operatives arrested truck driver alias “Geo,” 43, a resident of Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, while transporting about 500 master cases of cigarettes found to bear unauthorized tax seals and lacking the required graphic health warning labels.
Operatives conducted an inventory and documented the seized items on-site while the suspect was placed in the custody of the PRO-NIR Regional Intelligence Division.
Before 5 p.m. on the same day, a joint police operation resulted in the recovery of P3.345 million worth of illicit cigarettes and the arrest of an individual in Barangay Su-ay.
Alias “Joe”, 32, a laborer, was found possessing illicit cigarettes without BIR tax stamps on board a white Toyota Hi-Ace van.
The seized items included 53 master cases of Tabaco American Blend, nine master cases of Cannon 100’s Special American Blend, four master cases of Conrad Menthol, and 45 reams of Tabaco American Blend.
The suspect was also placed under police custody, and the seized items were turned over to the BIR Revenue Region 12 in Bacolod City.
In a statement, PRO-NIR Director Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay said the successful operations reflect the strength of intelligence-driven policing and the region’s firm commitment to protect government revenue, safeguard public welfare, and uphold the rule of law.
“I commend the operating units for their swift, decisive, and coordinated action,” he added. | PNA
