The boxes of cigarettes seized from a Chinese national in a raid in his rented house in General Santos City. Photo courtesy of PNP Region 12
KORONADAL CITY –– A Chinese national was arrested on Monday in General Santos City for alleged smuggling and counterfeiting of cigarettes worth P8.9 million, the regional police said.
Brig. Gen. Michael John Dubria, Region 12 police director, identified the suspect as Zai Tian Shi.
Dubria said that an undercover police agent was able to buy from the Chinese national five reams of smuggled Gudang Baru cigarettes worth P3,000, prompting the raid inside Oringo Subdivision in Barangay City Heights.
Operatives seized 271 boxes of alleged counterfeit Mighty cigarettes with an estimated market value of P8.9 million and P513,400 in cash.
Also recovered from the suspect were four plastic sachets of suspected shabu, said Dubria.
The Chinese national is facing charges for violation of laws about customs and tariffs, intellectual property, taxation, and dangerous drugs.
“It is very disappointing that even during the COVID-19 pandemic, deceitful traders did not stop from smuggling illicit items like the cigarettes that they usually sold to unsuspecting patrons,” Dubria said.