GLAN, Sarangani Province — Police authorities in Sarangani dealt a significant blow to the illegal cigarette trade after intercepting a shipment of smuggled tobacco products during a synchronized checkpoint operation along the National Highway in Barangay Gumasa, Glan, on Tuesday, January 7, 2026.
Personnel of the Glan Municipal Police Station (MPS), under the Sarangani Police Provincial Office, flagged down a red Toyota Hilux (plate number AAY 5048) traveling from Barangay Baliton, Glan, toward Barangay Tuyan, Malapatan. Upon inspection, officers discovered the vehicle was loaded with large quantities of suspected smuggled cigarettes.
The vehicle was driven by a 54-year-old man identified as alias “Dan,” with a passenger known as alias “Mark,” both residents of Purok Islam, Barangay Tuyan, Malapatan. Police said the two men failed to present any pertinent documents authorizing the transport of the goods.
Authorities seized a total of 420 reams of cigarettes branded GAJAH BARU (red variant), with an estimated market value of ₱329,700. The confiscated items were immediately brought to the Glan MPS for documentation and inventory.
Police confirmed that the seized cigarettes will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs – General Santos City for proper disposition, while appropriate charges are now being prepared for inquest proceedings against the suspects.
“This operation underscores our continuing commitment to curb smuggling activities that deprive the government of revenue and fuel the illegal tobacco trade,” the Sarangani Police Provincial Office said, adding that intensified checkpoints and intelligence-driven operations will continue across the province.
The interception comes amid heightened efforts by law enforcement agencies to crack down on smuggling routes in Southern Mindanao, where illegal cigarette trade has long been linked to organized syndicates and lost tax revenues running into millions of pesos annually.