‘Smuggled’ cigarettes worth over P50M seized in Mindanao ops

Alleged smuggled cigarettes worth over P50 million have been confiscated in three separate operations in Zamboanga City as well as Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental, the Philippine National Police said Monday.

PNP public information office chief Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño said that on September 12, the Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company discovered an abandoned boat in the waters of Sacol and Manalipa Islands.

“Nasamsam dito ang 445 na kaha ng Fort cigarettes na tinatayang nagkakahalaga ng P25,498,500,” Tuaño said in a press briefing.

(Seized were 445 boxes of Fort cigarettes with an estimated value of P25,498,500.)

The seized cigarettes are now under the custody of the Bureau of Customs in Zamboanga City.

On September 11, Tuaño said another 282 boxes of smuggled cigarettes worth P16.16 million were recovered from a truck in Zamboanga City. These items were also sent to the BOC.

A 43-year-old cop and a 55-year-old driver were arrested in the operation. They are now under the custody of the Zamboanga City Police Station.

Meanwhile on September 10, authorities also seized hundreds of boxes with smuggled cigarettes worth P9.2 million in Barangay Mauswagon, Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental. These were turned over to the BOC.

However, the alleged distributor and transporter are still at large.—AOL, GMA Integrated News