Lanao del Norte, Philippines – October 30, 2024
In a successful anti-smuggling operation, personnel from the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company in Lanao del Norte seized illegal cigarettes valued at approximately Php76,000 on October 30, 2024. The interception took place at Purok-3, Mamagum, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, as authorities conducted an overlapping checkpoint operation that led to the arrest of a 33-year-old male suspect.
The seized items were discovered concealed within a motorcycle with a sidecar, commonly known as “payong-payong,” that was transporting the cigarettes from Sultan Naga Dimaporo to Sapad, Lanao del Norte. The motorcycle, a blue and black model without a plate number, raised suspicion among officers due to a partially opened sack of rice that revealed reams of cigarettes inside. Upon inspection, the authorities found 95 reams of cigarettes lacking the required health graphic warnings.
Barangay officials were promptly called to witness the seizure and inventory of the contraband, which comprised one rice sack containing 29 assorted reams of red and white New Far cigarettes, and one large bag with an additional 66 reams of red New Far cigarettes. The confiscated goods were transported to the Sultan Naga Dimaporo Municipal Police Station for further documentation.
Lanao del Norte Provincial Director, PCOL Roy A. Magsalay, commended the officers for their vigilance in disrupting illegal trade, stating, “This operation demonstrates our continued vigilance against the illegal trade of smuggled cigarettes in Lanao del Norte. We remain committed to upholding the law and protecting both public health and government revenue.”
The suspect and the seized items are currently held at the police station, pending further legal action as part of ongoing efforts to combat smuggling and safeguard public welfare in the region.
