Authorities arrested a 44-year-old suspect in possession of over P2 million worth of smuggled cigarettes during a buy-bust operation in Pili, Camarines Sur.

The operation was carried out after a tobacco corporation filed a complaint before the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Camarines Sur regarding the illegal sale of counterfeit cigarettes. 

The police then bought cigarettes from the suspect, which they sent to the company for verification. The company confirmed that the cigarettes were counterfeit.

The suspect who has been released on bail is facing charges for allegedly violating the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, the Graphic Health Warnings Law, and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act for evading taxes.

“Nalulugi ang gobyerno natin [dahil] hindi sila nagbibigay ng tamang buwis. At the same time, ‘yung product nila, hindi natin alam kung safe for public consumption, hindi natin alam kung ano ang magiging side effect sa mga gumagamit,” PMAJ. Allan Uy, Deputy Chief of CIDG Camarines Sur, said.