SULTAN NAGA DIMAPORO, Lanao del Norte — Police authorities intercepted a truck loaded with an estimated ₱8 million worth of smuggled cigarettes during a joint checkpoint operation on November 6, 2025, in Barangay Bauyan, Sultan Naga Dimaporo.
The operation was jointly conducted by personnel of the 1005th Regional Mobile Force Battalion 10, Sultan Naga Dimaporo Municipal Police Station, Lanao del Norte Police Provincial Office, Regional Intelligence Division 10, CIDG-Lanao del Norte, and the Provincial Highway Patrol Team.
According to police reports, two trucks were observed approaching the checkpoint but suddenly accelerated past the area. Law enforcers managed to intercept the second vehicle while the first one escaped. Upon inspection, the driver, identified as alias “Ron,” 29, married, and a resident of Baloi, Lanao del Norte, failed to present a Certificate of Registration for the vehicle, prompting authorities to issue a Temporary Operator’s Permit.
Further inspection revealed that the truck was carrying 157 master cases of Green Hills brand cigarettes and 43 transparent plastic containers, each containing 50 reams of smuggled cigarettes. The contraband’s total estimated market value is pegged at ₱8 million.
The suspect, along with the seized items, was brought to the Sultan Naga Dimaporo Municipal Police Station for documentation and filing of appropriate charges. The confiscated truck and cigarettes are now under the custody of the Highway Patrol Group in Tubod, Lanao del Norte.
Police Brigadier General Christopher N. Abrahano, Acting Regional Director of Police Regional Office 10, lauded the coordinated efforts of the operating units and stressed the importance of vigilance in curbing illegal activities.
“This operation sends a strong message that Police Regional Office 10 will not allow Northern Mindanao to be a safe haven for smugglers and lawbreakers,” Abrahano said. “Every successful interdiction is a testament to our officers’ vigilance, discipline, and unity of purpose. We will continue to intensify our border control operations and pursue all individuals involved in illicit trade, no matter how far they run.”
PRO10 reaffirmed its commitment to suppress smuggling and other illicit activities that threaten legitimate businesses and undermine public welfare.