• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Tons of illegal cigarettes were destroyed by authorities in Talisay City, Negros Occidental on Thursday (May 7).
Disposed were 11,450 reams of smuggled cigarettes confiscated last year in Cauayan, Negros Occidental, with an estimated market value of P8.9 million.
The items were shredded, soaked, and buried underground.
Commending law enforcement agencies for doing such, Talisay City Mayor Rowena Lopez-Lizares issued a strong message against illegal trade, declaring that Negros Occidental must never become a haven for illegal tobacco operations.
The mayor emphasized that the fight against smuggling is not only about enforcing the law, but also about protecting the people, especially the youth, from the dangers of counterfeit and untaxed tobacco products.
Lizares said the destruction symbolized more than the disposal of illegal products. “It was a statement that local governments and authorities in Negros Occidental are united and unafraid to stand against syndicates profiting at the expense of public health, honest businesses, and government revenues,” she added.
Lizares assured Talisaynons that her administration will continue supporting aggressive anti-smuggling efforts, stressing that protecting communities from illegal trade is a responsibility that leaders cannot ignore.
Two weeks ago, the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group dismantled a large-scale illegal cigarette manufacturing and distribution network in Negros Occidental, following the discovery of almost P800-million worth of equipment, raw materials, and packaging supplies in the cities of Bago and Bacolod.
Ten Chinese nationals allegedly involved in the manufacturing of illegal cigarettes were arrested by the police. | GB
