KAPATAGAN, Lanao del Norte — Authorities seized an estimated ₱1.2 million worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes and arrested three individuals during a joint checkpoint operation conducted before dawn on July 30, 2026, in Barangay Bansarvil 1, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte.
The operation was carried out at approximately 4:05 a.m. by personnel of the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (2nd PMFC), Lanao del Norte Police Provincial Office (LDN PPO), in coordination with the Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU), Regional Intelligence Unit 10 (RIU PRO10), the 51st Mechanized Company of the 5th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, and the Kapatagan Municipal Police Station (MPS).
Arrested during the operation were three individuals identified only by their aliases: “Aiman,” 38, a married driver from Poblacion, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte; “Erwin,” 23, a single driver; and “Assal,” 57, a married laborer and passenger. Both Erwin and Assal are residents of Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.
According to the police, the suspects were aboard a navy green Toyota Tamaraw Revo and a metallic Hyundai Starex traveling from Sultan Naga Dimaporo toward Kapatagan when they were stopped at the checkpoint after officers observed that the drivers were not wearing the required seat belts.
Further inspection revealed that the drivers were also unable to present valid driver’s licenses, as well as the vehicles’ Official Receipt (OR) and Certificate of Registration (CR). These violations, which are impoundable offenses under Republic Act No. 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, prompted authorities to issue Motor Vehicle Impounding Receipts through LTO-deputized personnel.
While verifying the drivers’ documents, checkpoint personnel noticed in plain view several packs of cigarettes concealed beneath clothing and stacked in the rear compartments of both vehicles. This prompted a more thorough inspection, which uncovered multiple master cases of cigarettes believed to have been illegally imported into the country.
Authorities recovered a total of 30 master cases of suspected smuggled cigarettes consisting of 15 master cases of Fort White Menthol cigarettes, 10 master cases of Astro White Menthol King cigarettes, and five additional master cases of Fort White Menthol cigarettes.
The drivers allegedly failed to present any documents proving the lawful importation, ownership, or transport of the cigarette products.
Also confiscated during the operation were the Toyota Tamaraw Revo and the Hyundai Starex used in transporting the contraband. Based on the valuation of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the seized cigarettes have an estimated market value of ₱1.2 million.
Following their arrest, the three suspects were taken to the Kapatagan Municipal Police Station for documentation, processing, and profiling before being referred to the Bureau of Customs for the filing of appropriate charges for alleged violation of Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
Meanwhile, the confiscated cigarettes remain under the custody of the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, LDN PPO, pending proper documentation and eventual turnover to the Bureau of Customs office in Iligan City.
Police Regional Office 10 Regional Director PBGEN Christopher N. Abrahano commended the operating personnel for the successful operation, citing their close coordination and commitment to the government’s intensified campaign against smuggling.
“The dedication and teamwork displayed by our personnel reflect our unwavering commitment to protecting the country’s borders from the entry and distribution of smuggled goods,” Abrahano said, emphasizing that PRO10 will continue to strengthen inter-agency operations to curb illegal trade and hold violators accountable.
Authorities reiterated that intensified checkpoint operations and intelligence-driven law enforcement activities remain vital in preventing the transport of smuggled goods that deprive the government of revenue and undermine legitimate businesses.