PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — Authorities seized an estimated ₱520,000 worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes during a joint buy-bust operation conducted by police and customs personnel in Pagadian City on the evening of September 21, 2026.
The operation was carried out at around 8:50 p.m. in Purok Gemilina, Barangay Banale, by personnel from the Zamboanga del Sur Police Intelligence Unit (ZSPIU), Pagadian City Police Station (CPS), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
The operation targeted the alleged illegal possession and sale of smuggled cigarettes, which authorities said may constitute a violation of Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Police said the suspected seller was a male of legal age and a resident of Jolo, Sulu. However, the suspect reportedly became suspicious after realizing that the person he was dealing with was actually a police officer, prompting him to flee the area before authorities could arrest him.
Despite the suspect’s escape, the operation resulted in the recovery of a substantial quantity of suspected smuggled tobacco products.
Authorities reported confiscating:
- 904 reams of suspected smuggled cigarettes;
- Buy-bust money; and
- 100 pieces of simulated ₱1,000 bills, commonly referred to as boodle money.
The confiscated items were subsequently inventoried and photographed in the presence of Bureau of Customs personnel and a Barangay Banale councilor, as part of the documentation and evidence-handling process.
Following the inventory, the seized cigarette products were turned over to the BOC Pagadian City Field Office for proper disposition and the appropriate legal and customs procedures.
Meanwhile, police personnel launched a hot-pursuit operation to locate and apprehend the suspected seller who managed to escape during the operation.
Authorities are expected to pursue the appropriate legal action once the suspect is arrested and the circumstances surrounding the alleged smuggling and attempted sale of the cigarettes are further established.
The operation highlights the continuing coordination between law enforcement and customs authorities in addressing the distribution and sale of untaxed or illegally imported tobacco products in the region.