KALILANGAN, Bukidnon — Authorities intercepted more than ₱2.4 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and arrested two individuals during a joint anti-smuggling operation at a regional border checkpoint in Bukidnon on Wednesday afternoon, June 3, underscoring intensified efforts to curb the illegal tobacco trade in Northern Mindanao.
Personnel from the 1004th Maneuver Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 10 (RMFB 10), in coordination with the Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU), Kalilangan Municipal Police Station (MPS), Bukidnon Police Provincial Office (PPO), the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Bukidnon, and the Maritime Police Station (MARPSTA)-Misamis Oriental, conducted the operation at the Regional Border Control Point (RBCP) in Barangay Pamotolon, Kalilangan at approximately 3:30 p.m.
The operation led to the arrest of two suspects identified only by their aliases, “Xandro,” 47, a married driver, and “Rap-Rap,” 32, a single truck helper. Both are residents of Barangay Riverside in Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte.
According to police reports, the suspects were aboard an Isuzu refrigerated van traveling from Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte, to Maramag, Bukidnon when they were flagged down for routine inspection at the checkpoint.
As law enforcement personnel approached the vehicle, they immediately noticed a ream of suspected smuggled cigarettes placed on the dashboard and visible through the open vehicle window. The observation prompted authorities to conduct a more thorough inspection of the van.
The subsequent search uncovered a substantial cache of smuggled tobacco products hidden in the rear and upper compartments of the vehicle. Investigators said the cigarette cartons had been deliberately concealed beneath galvanized iron sheets, apparently in an attempt to evade checkpoint inspections and law enforcement detection.
Authorities later verified that the shipment lacked the necessary legal documents and permits required for transport and distribution, resulting in the immediate apprehension of the vehicle’s occupants.
Confiscated during the operation were 53 cases of red Pragon cigarettes, six cases of white San Marino cigarettes, one case of red Commando cigarettes, five reams of red Pragon cigarettes, and nine packs of red Pragon cigarettes. The total estimated market value of the seized contraband was pegged at ₱2,404,720.
The arrested suspects were brought to the Kalilangan Municipal Police Station for documentation and the filing of appropriate charges. They are expected to face charges for violation of Republic Act No. 10643, also known as the Graphic Health Warnings Law, which is among the laws commonly invoked in operations involving illicit and undocumented tobacco products.
Meanwhile, the confiscated cigarettes and the vehicle used in transporting the contraband were turned over to the Bureau of Customs in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, for proper disposition and further investigation.
Police Regional Office-10 Regional Director, Christopher N. Abrahano, commended the operating units for the successful operation, describing the seizure as a significant blow against smuggling networks operating across provincial borders.
“This major seizure demonstrates the intensified implementation of our checkpoint operations at border control points. Let this serve as a firm warning: we will relentlessly track, disrupt, and dismantle every illicit supply chain operating in Northern Mindanao,” Abrahano said.
The latest seizure adds to a series of anti-smuggling operations conducted by law enforcement agencies in Northern Mindanao as authorities continue to tighten border control measures against the illegal transport and distribution of untaxed and undocumented tobacco products, which deprive the government of revenue and undermine legitimate businesses.