By Edwin Fernandez
ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat – Police seized more than PHP3 million worth of smuggled cigarettes at a checkpoint in Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat on Thursday afternoon.
Maj. Ronalyn P. Domider, Bagumbayan town police chief, said officers were manning an election gun ban checkpoint when they noticed two minivans around 3 p.m.
Police found boxes containing 2,850 reams of assorted imported cigarettes, estimated to be worth PHP3.06 million inside the vehicles.
Domider said the two drivers, identified as “Delarmente” and “James,” failed to present documents for the cigarettes.
The drivers, who are detained at the municipal police station, face charges of violating Republic Act (RA) 10643, the Graphic Health Warning Law, and RA 10845 or the Anti-Smuggling Act.
The smuggled items are believed to have come from Kalamansig and Lebak towns, where smuggling has been reported.
Brig. Gen. Arnold P. Ardiente, acting chief of the Police Regional Office-Soccsksargen (PRO-12), praised the Bagumbayan police.
He also ordered all police units to intensify the campaign against smuggling.
Since Jan. 1, more than PHP15 million worth of smuggled cigarettes have been confiscated in the Soccsksargen region. (PNA)
