KIAMBA, Sarangani Province — More than ₱1 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes were intercepted by authorities during a checkpoint operation in Barangay Katubao on Friday afternoon, leading to the arrest of the truck driver transporting the contraband.
At around 5:00 p.m. on November 23, personnel of the 3rd Platoon, 2nd Sarangani Provincial Mobile Force Company (SPMFC), under the supervision of PLTCOL Hoover T. Antonio and led by PCAPT Laurence Palmes Yadao, flagged down a white-and-blue Isuzu truck driven by a man known as “Nel,” 39, a resident of Barangay Labangal, General Santos City.
During inspection, officers immediately spotted several reams of suspected smuggled cigarettes in plain view. This prompted the operatives—working with Kiamba Municipal Police Station, RID-12, PIU-SPPO, and in coordination with the Bureau of Customs-12—to arrest the driver on the spot.
Confiscated from the vehicle were 1,500 reams of King Philip cigarettes, carrying a Bureau of Customs standard value of ₱1,178,700. The truck and the seized items were inventoried at the scene in the presence of the suspect and a local barangay official, before being brought to the Kiamba Municipal Police Station for proper documentation.
The confiscated cigarettes will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs in General Santos City for formal disposition, while the arrested suspect awaits the filing of appropriate charges for violating Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
PBGEN Arnold P. Ardiente, Regional Director of Police Regional Office 12, commended the operating units for their swift and decisive action.
“This operation underscores our dedication to curbing smuggling activities and safeguarding lawful trade in the region. Our personnel’s vigilance ensures safer communities for all,” Ardiente said.
Authorities reaffirmed their commitment to intensifying operations against smuggling, a persistent issue that undermines government revenue and fuels illicit trade in the region.