• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Police seized around P29.6 million in illicit cigarettes from a compound in Bago City, Negros Occidental Aug. 6, and at the port area of Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental Aug. 5.
The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region said around P14.6 million in suspected illicit cigarettes was seized in a coordinated anti-smuggling operation in Purok Narra, Barangay Malingin, Bago yesterday afternoon.
The operation stemmed from a lawful checkpoint put up by personnel of the Bago City Police Station in Barangay Lag-asan, following reports on the transport of suspected untaxed cigarettes intended for distribution in the city.
A white Isuzu aluminum van was flagged down, and the driver voluntarily opened the rear cargo compartment, which appeared to contain laundry, although the police observed what appeared to be reams of cigarettes concealed beneath, the PRO-NIR said.
Upon questioning, the driver revealed that the cigarette shipment had been loaded from a compound in Purok Narra, Barangay Malingin in the city.
Two unidentified males inside the compound noticed the approaching authorities and fled toward the back of the property, evading arrest.
The PRO-NIR said that in the presence of barangay officials, the police entered the compound and discovered 255 boxes of suspected illicit cigarettes inside a room.
The white van and a Mitsubishi Lancer were also seized, and are in the custody of the Bago Police for proper documentation and disposition.
In Dumaguete, more than P15 million in smuggled cigarettes was seized, and three persons were arrested at the port area in Barangay Looc Aug. 5.
Intelligence operatives of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office acted on reports that a green Canter truck carrying undocumented cigarettes had arrived aboard a roll-on/roll-off vessel from Pagadian City, and bound for Dumaguete.
The joint operation of the PNP, Philippine Ports Authority, Bureau of Customs, and the Maritime police led to the arrest of the three suspects, identified only by their aliases: “Je”, 32, the truck driver from Barangay Tuburan, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur; “Jo”, 22, a passenger from Barangay Bulatok, Pagadian City; and “Al”, 27, also a passenger, from Barangay Alu Layag-Layag, Parang, Sulu.
The PRO-NIR said the suspects were caught red-handed while transporting illegal and undocumented cigarettes, in violation of Republic Act (RA) 10643, or the Graphic Health Warnings Law, and RA 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
Authorities confiscated 263 master cases of Walter Premium and Busqu Full Flavor cigarettes, valued at P15,069,900, and 200 boxes of dried tamban fish, worth P90,000, as well as the green Canter truck.
P/Brigadier General Romano Cardiño, PRO-NIR director, commended the operating units for the successful operation, and stressed the importance of intelligence-driven policing and inter-agency cooperation in the fight against smuggling.
“By intercepting these illicit goods before they reached the market, we protected legitimate businesses, safeguarded government revenues, and prevented illegal products from circulating in our communities,” he added. | GPB
