Authorities intensified their campaign against illegal tobacco trade after operatives of the Zamboanga Sibugay Police Provincial Office (ZSBPPO) confiscated more than ₱87,000 worth of smuggled cigarettes in four separate anti-smuggling operations across Zamboanga Sibugay.
Police said the coordinated operations were part of ongoing efforts to curb the spread of illegal cigarettes and other contraband circulating in the province. The crackdown involved saturation drives, inspections of establishments, and checkpoint operations carried out by several municipal police units.
According to the report, Municipal Police Stations in the towns of Mabuhay, Ipil, and Kabasalan conducted saturation drives targeting stores and establishments suspected of openly selling contraband cigarettes. During the inspections, authorities discovered assorted smuggled cigarette products with an estimated value of more than ₱73,000.
In a separate operation, personnel of the R.T. Lim Municipal Police Station carried out a checkpoint along the national highway in the municipality of R.T. Lim. The checkpoint resulted in the seizure of one box of smuggled cigarettes that had no claimant.
Police said the seized illegal cigarettes were brought to the respective police stations for proper documentation and inventory. After processing, the confiscated contraband was turned over to the Bureau of Customs for appropriate disposition in accordance with existing laws and regulations.
The ZSBPPO emphasized that the continued anti-smuggling operations demonstrate the police force’s commitment to protecting the local economy and preventing the distribution of illicit goods in the province. Authorities also warned traders and store owners against engaging in the sale or distribution of smuggled cigarettes, noting that violators may face legal consequences under the country’s customs and taxation laws.
Police vowed to sustain intensified enforcement operations and monitoring across Zamboanga Sibugay to ensure that illegal products do not penetrate local markets and communities.