Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur – In a successful intelligence-driven operation on November 21, 2024, law enforcement personnel intercepted a significant shipment of smuggled cigarettes at a checkpoint in Purok Talisay 2, Brgy. Lower Landing, Dumingag.
The joint operation, conducted by the Dumingag Municipal Police Station, Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Intelligence Unit, 1st Infantry Division, 1st Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Mobile Force Company, and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Pagadian City Office, led to the arrest of a 33-year-old male driver and the confiscation of 490 reams of Impala brand cigarettes. The smuggled goods have an estimated market value of Php 527,160.00.
The suspect was apprehended on-site and transported to the Dumingag Municipal Police Station for further investigation and proper legal proceedings.
The seized items were turned over to the Bureau of Customs for additional inspection and processing. This operation is part of ongoing efforts by Police Regional Office 9 (PRO 9) and the BOC to combat smuggling activities in the region, particularly the illicit trade of tobacco products.
In a statement, PBGEN Bowenn Joey M. Masauding, Regional Director of PRO 9, lauded the collaborative efforts that led to the successful interception.
“We commend the collaborative efforts of the Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office, led by PCOL Restituto A. Pangusban, the Bureau of Customs IX, and other partner agencies in successfully intercepting a smuggling operation. This action demonstrates our commitment to safeguarding the public from the harmful effects of illegal products, as well as ensuring that proper taxes are collected for goods entering the region,” said PBGEN Masauding.
Authorities emphasized that the operation highlights the importance of intelligence-driven collaboration in addressing smuggling activities, protecting public health, and ensuring tax compliance.
This recent interception marks another milestone in the region’s crackdown on illegal trade and reinforces the government’s resolve to eliminate smuggling networks.
