By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – After a series of successful raids on illegal cigarette warehouses and factories, the government will now go after retailers, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Friday.
At a press briefing, Remulla said raids on supermarkets selling illegal cigarettes will begin next week.
“Ito ay babala sa lahat ng nagbebenta. Nakuha na po namin ang distributor, nakukuha na po namin ang manufacturer, sunod na po ang mga retailer (This is a warning to sellers. We already got the distributors and the manufacturers, now we’ll go after the retailers),” he said.
“Pakiusap ko sa lahat ng nasa palengke sa Pilipinas, sa susunod na linggo ay magri-raid na kami (I’m appealing to supermarkets across the country, next week we’ll start conducting raids),” Remulla added.
Remulla warned that stores caught selling illegal cigarettes will be shut down, and those behind the distribution will face non-bailable charges under the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.
“Ngayon pa lang itago niyo na ‘yan, itapon niyo na ‘yan (You can hide those illegal cigarettes or throw them away), I don’t care, may isang linggo pa kayo (you still have one week),” Remulla said.
On Thursday, police dismantled a suspected illegal cigarette manufacturing and storage facility in Barangay Sahud-Ulan, Tanza, Cavite.
The facility, registered as Cavite South Luzon Steel Management and declared as a canned goods warehouse, raised suspicion after a citizen reported a strong tobacco odor, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Surveillance confirmed cigarette production, prompting an inspection by the Bureau of Customs.
Authorities seized cigarette-making machines, generators, a forklift, dried tobacco, packaging materials, raw components, alleged counterfeit products of various brands and boxes of fresh tobacco square sets.
The DILG said the seized contraband is valued at about PHP200 million, based on BOC assessment. (PNA)
