COTABATO CITY — Police authorities arrested three individuals and seized an estimated ₱2.75 million worth of cigarettes allegedly being transported without the required permits during a checkpoint operation along Diversion Road in Kakar, Barangay Poblacion 8, Cotabato City, on August 18, 2026.
The operation was carried out by personnel of the 26th Marine Company, who intercepted a yellow-orange wing van bearing plate number MBH 1821 at a checkpoint in the area. Patrol personnel and duty investigators from Police Station 2 subsequently responded to the scene to assist in the inspection and documentation.
The individuals arrested were identified as Hamid Landangan Manday, 41, a married driver and resident of Barangay Katuli, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte; Faharudin Eman Manday, 20, also a married driver from the same barangay; and a third individual identified only as alias “Aiman.”
According to the initial police report, Manday complied with the checkpoint procedures and allowed authorities to inspect the vehicle. During the inspection, police personnel reportedly saw several boxes of cigarettes in plain view inside the wing van.
Authorities then asked the driver to present the necessary documents or permits authorizing the transportation of the tobacco products. The driver allegedly failed to produce the required documentation, prompting the police to coordinate with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for verification.
The ensuing inventory resulted in the recovery of 110 boxes of cigarettes, with authorities placing their estimated total value at ₱2,750,000.
The inventory was conducted at the scene in the presence of media representative Ebrahim T. Abang of DXMY Cotabato, as part of the documentation of the seized items.
Police said the operation was conducted in connection with alleged violations of Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), and Republic Act No. 10643, or the Graphic Health Warnings Law.
Following the seizure, the three individuals and the recovered cigarette products were placed under the custody of the appropriate authorities for documentation, verification, disposition, and the filing of appropriate charges.
Authorities have not indicated in the initial report whether the cigarettes had been confirmed as smuggled through a final customs determination. The alleged violations and the circumstances surrounding the shipment remain subject to the appropriate investigation and legal proceedings.
The seizure underscores the continuing efforts of law enforcement agencies in Cotabato City and surrounding areas to intercept the movement of illicit tobacco products, particularly shipments allegedly transported without the permits and documentation required under existing customs and tobacco regulations.
Police Regional Director PBGEN Christopher M. Abecia commended the operating units for their prompt response, effective coordination, and continued commitment to enforcing the law against the illicit trade and transportation of tobacco products.
The case remains under investigation as authorities undertake further verification and processing of the seized cigarettes and the individuals arrested during the checkpoint operation.