KAPATAGAN, Lanao del Norte — Police operatives intercepted ₱80,000 worth of smuggled cigarettes during a checkpoint operation in Barangay Bansarvil 1, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, late Wednesday morning.
According to the Lanao del Norte Police Provincial Office, personnel from the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) carried out the operation at around 11:50 a.m. on December 10, 2025, as part of intensified law enforcement efforts against illegal trade in the province.
Authorities flagged down a Kawasaki Bajaj RE, commonly known as a “bao-bao,” driven by alias Rauf, 27, married, and a resident of Barangay Bubong, Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur. Police noted that the vehicle had no visible plate number, prompting a routine inspection.
During the check, officers immediately noticed two master cases of suspected smuggled cigarettes in plain view. The driver failed to present any documents proving the legality of the cargo. A barangay official was promptly summoned to witness the seizure and inventory, ensuring proper procedural compliance.
Confiscated from the vehicle were two master cases of Fort cigarettes, containing a total of 100 reams with an estimated market value of ₱80,000.
The suspect and the motorcycle were brought to the Kapatagan Municipal Police Station for further investigation. The seized items will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs in Iligan City for proper disposition.
PCOL Leo De Leon Sua, Acting Provincial Director of the Lanao del Norte PPO, praised the operating personnel for their vigilance, noting that the successful interception demonstrates the police force’s commitment to curbing smuggling activities that continue to affect local markets and government revenue.
The operation forms part of ongoing efforts across Mindanao—an area you consistently monitor in your reporting—to combat smuggling, which remains a persistent challenge in rural trade routes.