• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
An estimated P8 million worth of smuggled cigarettes were seized by the police after these were abandoned at the old airport in Bacolod City on Wednesday.
At the same time, three suspects were arrested by operatives of the Philippine National Police Maritime Group Special Operation Unit and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Negros Occidental Field Office.
The Maritime Group personnel, while conducting seaborne operations, saw a vessel carrying the alleged smuggled cigarettes.
The vessel, however, left behind about 149 boxes containing alleged smuggled cigarettes believed to have originated from Mindanao.
In previous months, smuggled cigarettes worth P15.6 million were also confiscated in E.B. Magalona and Cauayan, Negros Occidental, and also worth P1.23 million were seized in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental. | GB
