Government agents take inventory of the dozens of reams containing alleged illegal cigarettes that were confiscated during an operation at the Cogon public market in Cagayan de Oro on April 26. (Photo courtesy of the CIDG Cagayan de Oro field unit)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — A team of government agents has arrested on Wednesday a businessman allegedly selling illegal cigarettes at a public market here, a report from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said.
The CIDG Cagayan de Oro field unit identified the suspect as Bernard Pacho, 33, a native of Zamboanga City but currently residing in Barangay Balubal, this city.
Pacho, the agency said, was arrested at the Cogon public market.
With the CIDG are personnel from the city intelligence unit, local police, and the city health office.
Confiscated from the suspect were 887 cartons of cigarettes bearing various brand names and colors such as Commando, Nelson, Seven King, Champion, Establish, Hero, Modern, Green Hill, San Marino, Marbles, New Orleans, Astro, Dreamon, 2M, Gift, and Cannon.
The CIDG report said the seized items have an estimated market value of P280,000.
According to the CIDG field unit, Pacho will be facing charges for allegedly violating Republic Act No. 10643 or an act to effectively instill health consciousness through graphic health warnings on tobacco products; RA 8293, the intellectual property code; and RA 7394, the consumer act of the Philippines.
Last April 19, the police station in Barangay Cugman here turned over 50 boxes of allegedly smuggled cigarettes to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Cagayan de Oro.
A report from the BOC district office cited Capt. John Real dela Cerna, the Cugman police station commander, as saying a truck driver surrendered to them the cigarettes “upon discovering that the boxes they were about to deliver from Zamboanga to Dasmarinas, Cavite contained cigarettes contrary to the declaration of the person who hired them that it contained motor parts and accessories.”
The BOC said the undocumented cigarettes totaling 4,802 reams or 48,020 packs were branded as “San Diego Menthol and Lights” and have an appraised value of P7.9 million.