CAMP ALAGAR, Cagayan de Oro City – The Police Regional Office 10 (PRO10) successfully conducted simultaneous operations on September 30, 2024, leading to the confiscation of smuggled cigarettes in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities.
In Cagayan de Oro City, at around 1:45 PM, personnel from Police Station 2 and the City Intelligence Unit (CIU) raided Cogon Public Market in Barangay 33. The operation resulted in the seizure of 32 reams and a sack of assorted smuggled cigarette packs valued at Php17,400. The items were placed under the custody of Police Station 2 for proper documentation.
An hour later, at 2:45 PM, a similar operation was carried out by CIU, COCPO, and personnel from PS-4 COCPO at Carmen Public Market, where authorities confiscated 223 packs of assorted smuggled cigarette brands valued at Php4,460. The confiscated goods were turned over to the CIU for documentation and further processing.
In Iligan City, at 3:47 PM, the Regional Special Operations Unit 10 (RSOU 10) and Police Station 5 (PS5) of Iligan City Police Office (ICPO) conducted an operation targeting sari-sari stores in Barangay Pala-o. During the raid, sellers fled upon identifying police officers, abandoning 63 reams and 867 individual packs of smuggled cigarettes with a total estimated value of Php45,000. The seized items were secured by PS5 ICPO for documentation.
PBGEN Jaysen C. De Guzman, Acting Regional Director of PRO10, praised the success of the operations and reaffirmed the police force’s commitment to cracking down on smuggling activities in Northern Mindanao. “These operations demonstrate the relentless efforts of PRO10 to maintain peace and order by enforcing the law against smuggling activities in the region. We will continue to monitor areas where smuggling is suspected to ensure this illegal practice is stopped,” De Guzman stated.
He also urged the public to report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through official hotlines, emphasizing the importance of community cooperation in the fight against illegal trade.
