LAMITAN CITY, Basilan — Police recovered 142 reams of assorted cigarettes with an estimated market value of ₱71,000 in Barangay Matibay, Lamitan City, on October 18, 2026, following a report from a concerned citizen about unattended cigarette products in the area.
According to the Lamitan City Police Station, the cigarettes were discovered at around 7 p.m. The owner of the products has yet to be identified, raising questions about their origin and the circumstances surrounding their abandonment.
The recovered cigarettes were packed in three master cases and consisted of 45 reams of YS cigarettes, 48 reams of D MONTE cigarettes, and 49 reams of TOUGH cigarettes. Police placed the total estimated market value of the seized products at ₱71,000.
The recovery operation was conducted by personnel of the Lamitan City Police Station, led by its chief of police, PLTCOL Joel C. Tuttuh, in coordination with members of the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company and the 1403rd and 1404th Maneuver Companies of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 14-B.
Police said the cigarette products were suspected of having been unlawfully imported into the country, potentially violating Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, which governs customs procedures and the importation of goods into the Philippines.
However, the suspected smuggling has yet to be conclusively established, and the identity of the person or persons responsible for the cigarettes remains unknown.
Following the recovery, the items were inventoried in the presence of Barangay Matibay Chairperson Boyet Fernando to document the recovered products and establish an official record of the operation. The cigarettes were subsequently transported to the Lamitan City Police Station for temporary safekeeping.
The recovery highlights the role of community reporting in assisting law enforcement operations, particularly in identifying and securing potentially illicit goods left unattended in public areas.
Authorities have yet to identify the owner of the cigarettes or establish how the products arrived in Barangay Matibay. Further investigation would be necessary to determine their source, the circumstances of their abandonment, and whether any individual or group may be held liable under applicable customs laws.