ILIGAN CITY — Authorities arrested a 19-year-old vendor and confiscated an estimated ₱100,000 worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes during a late-night anti-smuggling operation in Barangay Mahayahay, Iligan City on June 1.
The operation was conducted at around 11:00 p.m. by joint personnel from the City Intelligence Unit–City Special Operations Unit (CIU-CSOU), Iligan City Police Station 4 (ICPS4), and the Iligan City Mobile Force Company (ICMFC).
The suspect, identified only by his alias “Asser,” a resident of Barangay Pala-o, was intercepted by authorities while driving an unregistered trisikad that allegedly ignored a traffic signal, reportedly placing motorists at risk.
During the inspection, operatives noticed several alleged Cannon-brand cigarettes in plain view inside the vehicle. Authorities suspected the products were smuggled after the suspect allegedly failed to present importation documents, Bureau of Customs (BOC) clearance, tax stamps, or proof of payment of duties and taxes.
Police said the confiscated items included five half-boxes of alleged Cannon-brand cigarettes containing 25 reams each, with an estimated Standard Market Value of ₱100,000, along with the trisikad used for transport.
The suspect was taken into custody and brought to ICPS4 for proper documentation and processing.
Authorities said the operation was conducted in line with the enforcement of Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), as well as other applicable tax laws aimed at curbing the proliferation of smuggled goods in the country.
The seized cigarettes and the recovered vehicle are set to be turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition and further investigation.
Police authorities reiterated their warning against the illegal transport and sale of smuggled tobacco products, stressing that such activities deprive the government of tax revenues and pose risks to legitimate businesses and consumers.