LANAO DEL NORTE, Philippines — Authorities intercepted ₱480,000 worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes and arrested three individuals, including a minor passenger, during two separate checkpoint operations conducted in Lanao del Norte on August 2 and 3 as part of the Philippine National Police’s intensified anti-smuggling campaign.
The successful operations, led by the Police Regional Office 10 (PRO-10) and its partner law enforcement units, resulted in the confiscation of 600 reams of suspected smuggled cigarettes transported in separate vehicles without the necessary documents proving their legal ownership and transport.
₱400,000 Worth of Cigarettes Seized in Linamon
The larger of the two operations was carried out on the morning of August 3 at a checkpoint in Barangay Samburon, Linamon, Lanao del Norte.
Personnel from the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) of the Lanao del Norte Police Provincial Office, together with the Lanao del Norte Maritime Police Station, 2nd PMFC, Provincial Intelligence Unit, 1005th Maneuver Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 10 (RMFB-10), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Lanao del Norte, Regional Intelligence Division 10, and the Linamon Municipal Police Station, flagged down a white Toyota pickup truck for a routine inspection.
The driver, identified only by the alias “Al,” a 27-year-old married resident of Alicia, Zamboanga Sibugay, was apprehended along with a minor passenger.
A thorough inspection of the vehicle led to the discovery of 500 reams of Greenhill Menthol cigarettes with an estimated market value of ₱400,000.
Police said the driver failed to present any documents proving the legal ownership and transport of the cigarettes, prompting authorities to confiscate the cargo and arrest the suspect.
The suspects were brought to the Linamon Municipal Police Station for documentation and proper disposition before being referred to the Bureau of Customs (BOC). The seized vehicle and contraband remain under the custody of the 1st PMFC pending their formal turnover to the BOC.
Separate Checkpoint Nets ₱80,000 Worth of Contraband
In a separate operation conducted on the evening of August 2 in Barangay Rebucon, Nunungan, Lanao del Norte, another suspected shipment of smuggled cigarettes was intercepted during a joint checkpoint operation.
The operation was conducted by the Nunungan Municipal Police Station, in coordination with the 51st Mechanized Company of the Philippine Army and the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company of the Lanao del Norte Police Provincial Office.
Authorities flagged down a Nissan Terra SUV driven by a suspect identified only as “Adam,” a 35-year-old married driver from Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte.
During the inspection, officers discovered 100 reams of Cannon Black Menthol cigarettes concealed in the rear compartment of the vehicle. The shipment was valued at approximately ₱80,000.
Like the earlier case, the suspect was unable to produce any documents establishing the legality of the cargo, leading to his arrest and the seizure of the vehicle and cigarettes.
The suspect was taken to the Nunungan Municipal Police Station for documentation before the case and the confiscated items were referred to the Bureau of Customs for appropriate action.
Intensified Anti-Smuggling Drive
The two successful operations resulted in the seizure of a total of 600 reams of suspected smuggled cigarettes worth approximately ₱480,000, underscoring the continuing efforts of PRO-10 and its partner agencies to combat the illegal transport and distribution of smuggled goods in Northern Mindanao.
Authorities emphasized that checkpoint operations remain a vital component of their anti-smuggling campaign, as they continue to strengthen inter-agency coordination to curb the movement of contraband and ensure that those involved are held accountable under existing customs and other applicable laws.