CAMP ALAGAR, Cagayan de Oro City – October 17, 2024
Authorities in Lanao del Norte successfully intercepted a large shipment of smuggled cigarettes valued at approximately PhP6,080,000 during an anti-smuggling operation in Sultan Naga Dimaporo (SND), Lanao del Norte. The operation took place inside an abandoned mosque in Purok 1, Calibao, where law enforcement officers discovered and confiscated 151 boxes and one cellophane of assorted cigarettes.
The operation was led by the Sultan Naga Dimaporo Municipal Police Station (SND MPS) in coordination with several law enforcement agencies, including the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC), Lanao del Norte Provincial Police Office (LDN PPO), Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU), and Lanao del Norte Maritime Police Station.
While on mobile patrol, authorities spotted a pile of cigarettes in plain view and immediately launched the operation. Among the confiscated items were 62 boxes of New Berlin cigarettes, 20 boxes of Fort cigarettes, 14 boxes of Delta cigarettes, 14 boxes of New Far white and red cigarettes, three boxes of Brave cigarettes, and 24 boxes of Astro white cigarettes. In addition, several reams of cigarettes were also found.
The smuggled goods are believed to have been transported from Picong, Lanao del Sur, to SND, Lanao del Norte, by vehicle. Currently, the seized items are in the custody of the SND MPS and will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs in Iligan for proper documentation and disposal.
Investigations are ongoing to identify those behind the smuggling operation.
Police Brigadier General Jaysen C. De Guzman, Acting Regional Director of Police Regional Office 10 (PRO10), praised the efforts of the operating units, stating, “Our police force is steadfast in its efforts to combat smuggling in Northern Mindanao. This successful operation highlights our ongoing commitment to upholding peace and ensuring the safety of the region.”
The authorities remain vigilant as smuggling continues to pose a threat to public order and economic stability in the area.
