MAASIM, Sarangani Province — Police operatives seized an estimated ₱360,000 worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes and arrested one individual during an early-morning anti-smuggling operation along the shoreline of Barangay Kanalo in Maasim, Sarangani Province, on September 5, 2026.
The operation was conducted at around 5:30 a.m. by the Regional Intelligence Division 12 (RID 12) Tracker Team Alpha, in coordination with personnel of the Maasim Municipal Police Station (MPS), following information received by RID 12 regarding the alleged shipment of smuggled cigarettes through a small motorized pump boat locally known as a “Pakura.”
Acting on the information, police personnel immediately proceeded to the identified coastal area to verify the reported shipment. Upon arrival, the operatives reportedly spotted the suspected contraband in plain view, prompting them to intercept the shipment and take the individual allegedly associated with it into custody.
Arrested during the operation was a man identified only by police as alias “Tidoy,” 45, married, a tricycle driver, and a resident of Purok Timan, Barangay Kanalo, Maasim.
Police said the operation resulted in the recovery of eight cases of “GAJAH BARU” cigarettes, with an estimated market value of ₱360,000.
The seized cigarettes were placed under police custody for documentation and appropriate disposition, while the arrested individual was brought to the Maasim MPS for processing and further investigation.
The operation highlights the continuing efforts of law enforcement authorities in Sarangani to monitor coastal areas that may be used as entry or transit points for illegally transported goods. The use of small motorized boats in moving contraband can present enforcement challenges, particularly along extensive coastal communities, making intelligence gathering and coordinated police operations critical in disrupting suspected smuggling activities.
Police authorities said the latest seizure forms part of the broader campaign to prevent the movement of illicit goods and strengthen enforcement operations in coastal areas across the region.
Police Regional Office 12 Regional Director PBGen Alan B. Manibog reaffirmed the police force’s commitment to intensifying its anti-smuggling campaign, emphasizing the importance of preventing contraband from reaching local communities.
“Patuloy nating paiigtingin ang ating kampanya laban sa smuggling. Ang bawat kontrabandong napipigilan sa ating mga dalampasigan ay proteksyon sa ating komunidad at ambag sa pagpapatupad ng batas,” Manibog said.
The arrested suspect and the recovered cigarettes remain in the custody of the Maasim Municipal Police Station pending completion of documentation and appropriate legal proceedings. Further details on the case, including the possible source and intended destination of the shipment, were not immediately disclosed by authorities.