• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Police authorities seized P10.2 million worth of suspected illicit and smuggled cigarettes in Himamaylan City on Sept. 28, bringing to P19.1 million in total the recovered similar items since last week in Negros Occidental.
The latest joint anti-smuggling operation led by the Regional Intelligence Division of the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) took place in Sitio Batang, Barangay Talaban, Himamaylan City.
It led to the arrest of alias “Omar,” and the seizure of 63 master cases and 74 boxes of D&B cigarettes, with each box containing 25 reams, as well as 25 master cases of YS Menthol cigarettes and 102 boxes of YS Red cigarettes, also containing 25 reams per box.
The two other suspects, with aliases of “Jun” and “Jake,” managed to escape. All three suspects are residents of Jolo, Sulo.
The PRO-NIR report said the seized tobacco products had no permits from the concerned government agency and allegedly lacked the required graphic health warnings.
Appropriate charges are being pursued for alleged violations of Republic Act 10643 or the Graphic Health Warnings Law, and Republic Act 12022 or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, subject to further investigation and determination by competent authorities.
On Sept. 25, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Negros Occidental Provincial Field Unit also seized P8.8 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes from three arrested suspects in Barangay 3, Isabela, Negros Occidental. | GPB
