Police operatives intercepted a motorized banca carrying 400 reams of suspected smuggled cigarettes valued at approximately ₱544,000 during a maritime security operation in the coastal waters of Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, early Thursday morning, November 12, 2026.
The interception took place at around 2:20 a.m., approximately seven kilometers off the shoreline of Barangay Tran, following intelligence reports that a shipment of illicit cigarettes was being transported by sea from Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Sur.
Acting on the information, a joint police team led by the Sultan Kudarat Maritime Police Station launched a seaborne patrol, with personnel from the Kalamansig Maritime Law Enforcement Team (MLET), Fifth Special Operations Unit Lebak MLET, and Lebak Municipal Police Station participating in the operation.
SPONSORED LINK: https://lightlypowerfulgourmet.com/u9i107dsea?key=63025114fa6eb96108de24ad21ec0671
During the patrol, authorities spotted and intercepted a blue motorized banca bearing the marking “Totoh Aice 2.” A subsequent inspection uncovered 400 reams of Fort cigarettes that allegedly lacked the mandatory Graphic Health Warning (GHW) labels required under Philippine law.
Police identified the banca operator as alias “Kol Dap,” 40, a fisherman and resident of Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat. He was unable to present documents authorizing the possession, sale, or distribution of the cigarettes, prompting authorities to take him into custody.
The operator was apprehended for alleged violations of Sections 6, 7, and 10 of Republic Act No. 10643, or the Graphic Health Warnings Law, which regulates the required health warning labels on tobacco product packaging.
The apprehended individual, together with the confiscated cigarettes, was brought to the Sultan Kudarat Maritime Police Station for documentation and proper disposition.
Authorities are preparing the appropriate charges for filing before the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Meanwhile, the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) is expected to conduct the final valuation of the seized tobacco products.
The operation underscores the continuing challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in monitoring maritime routes that may be used to transport illicit tobacco products across coastal communities in Mindanao.
Beyond the estimated financial value of the seized shipment, the absence of mandatory health warnings raises concerns over the circulation of tobacco products that may bypass regulatory requirements designed to inform consumers about the health risks of smoking.
The case remains subject to further investigation and the filing of appropriate charges.