P4.8 M smuggled cigarettes seized in Lanao del Norte

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The police in Lanao del Norte seized on Wednesday some P4.8 million worth of contraband cigarettes contained in 120 master cases.

Brig. Gen. Jaysen de Guzman, Northern Mindanao police director, said the cigarettes were intercepted at a checkpoint in Barangay Campong in Pantar town at past 3 a.m. on Wednesday.

The regional border control checkpoint was manned by personnel of the 1005th Maneuver Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 10 and the Pantar police.

The cigarettes were loaded in a white Isuzu truck, said De Guzman, citing a police spot report.

Upon inspection, the truck driver and helper failed to present proper documents.

The confiscated items include 68 master cases of Modern, 27 Delta, 16 New Far Red, and nine New Far Green cigarettes, with a total estimated market value of P4.8 million.

The items and the vehicle were turned over to the Bureau of Customs in Iligan City, while the suspects are now in the custody of the Pantar municipal police station as the appropriate charges are being prepared.