• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Authorities seized an estimated P40 million worth of suspected illegal cigarettes and arrested 10 suspects during a anti-smuggling operation on May 16 in Sitio Labugon, Barangay Nagbo-alao, Basay, Negros Oriental.
Nine of the 10 arrested suspects are residents of Zamboanga City, Sulo, and Tawi-Tawi, while the truck driver, identified as alias Sar, is a resident of Valencia, Negros Oriental, according to regional police spokesperson PLt. Col. Joem Malong.
Malong said the suspects were allegedly involved in the transport and distribution of illegal cigarettes bearing unauthorized tax seals and lacking the mandatory graphic health warning labels required under Republic Act No. 10643, or the Graphic Health Warning Law.
The shipment also allegedly violated provisions of Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, and Republic Act No. 12022, according to a report of the Police Regional Office – Negros Island Region.
Confiscated during the operation were around 700 master cases of Bosqu brand cigarettes, a 10-wheeler closed van, a motorized blue junkong boat, two touchscreen cellular phones, a white Ford Explorer, and a white Mitsubishi L300.
Police said the seized cigarettes were turned over to the RID Regional Office of PRO-NIR for proper custody, while the motorized boat was placed under the custody of the Maritime Special Operations Unit.
The arrested suspects were brought to the Basay Municipal Police Station for documentation and filing of charges.
The joint operation was led by the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) of the Police Regional Office – Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR), and supported by the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO), Basay Municipal Police Station, Coast Guard Intelligence Group–Southern Visayas, Regional Maritime Unit SOT NIR, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
PRO-NIR said the successful operation highlighted the effectiveness of intensified intelligence gathering, strengthened border and coastal security measures, and close coordination among law enforcement agencies in curbing economic sabotage and illicit trade.
The statement added that PRO-NIR remains committed to aggressively pursuing syndicates and individuals involved in smuggling operations that undermine lawful commerce, deprive the government of revenues, and threaten public welfare.
The Basay operation came amid a series of anti-smuggling crackdowns in Negros Oriental over the past several days.
On May 15, authorities confiscated an estimated P850,000 worth of illegal cigarettes during another operation in Barangay Dahili, Mabinay, Negros Oriental.
The joint operation, conducted by operatives from the Police Intelligence Unit and Police Drug Enforcement Unit of NOrPPO, Mabinay Police Station, and intelligence operatives from PRO-NIR, resulted in the arrest of two suspects identified only as “Dom,” 38, a resident of Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur, and “Gar,” 23, from Kabankalan City.
Recovered from the suspects were 18 carton boxes of Three Star Filter cigarettes and 16 carton boxes of Three Star Menthol cigarettes, allegedly carrying unauthorized tax seals and lacking the required graphic health warning labels. Authorities also seized two cellular phones and a Suzuki mini-van believed to have been used in transporting the contraband.
Earlier, police also recovered an estimated P2.3 million worth of abandoned illegal cigarettes along a roadside in Barangay 5, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental. The confiscated items included 23 boxes containing New Mega Menthol and Red Bosqu cigarette brands, now under the custody of the San Carlos City Police Station.
Authorities said investigations are ongoing to determine possible links among the recent smuggling incidents in the two Negros provinces.*
