MALUNGON, Sarangani Province — In a concerted crackdown on smuggling in the SOCCSKSARGEN region, police authorities intercepted a shipment of smuggled cigarettes and apprehended three individuals during an operation on May 4, 2025, in Barangay Malandag.
Joint operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 12 and Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 launched the successful anti-smuggling operation in Purok Lamcanal, where they caught the suspects in the act of unloading boxes of Walton Cigarettes from a FUSO ten-wheeler truck.
The suspects, identified by their aliases “Sonny,” “Hamil,” and “Jerry,” all hailing from Zamboanga Sibugay, allegedly attempted to conceal their illegal cargo by covering it with sacks of rice husks—an effort to avoid detection at security checkpoints.
Upon inspection, authorities recovered a total of 141 boxes of smuggled Walton Cigarettes, with an estimated market value of ₱2,115,000.
The arrested individuals are now in the custody of the CIDG Sarangani Office and will face charges for violating Republic Act 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
Police Regional Director PBGEN Arnold P. Ardiente commended the successful operation and the cooperation between police units.
“This accomplishment highlights the strong coordination among PNP units in the region. Through unified action and shared commitment, we will continue to intensify our operations to disrupt smuggling and protect our communities from the harmful effects of illegal trade,” said PBGEN Ardiente.
Authorities reaffirmed their commitment to combating illicit activities that threaten public safety and economic integrity in the region.