• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
More than P4 million worth of smuggled cigarettes have been recently confiscated by personnel of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.
Police Major Ryan Villasario, deputy chief of San Carlos City Police Station, disclosed that 252 cases of smuggled cigarettes were confiscated on July 13 by the BIR, assisted by the city police, in the conduct of operations against smuggled items.
Villasario said there were no apprehensions, as BIR personnel only served a memorandum order stating the violation of the owner.
The confiscated cigarettes had no BIR sticker, which indicate that it was smuggled into San Carlos City, although the origin has not yet been established by authorities.
In an interview with Bombo Radyo, police chief PLt. Col. Jesus Mesahon told Bombo Radyo that the recovery of fake cigarettes was made in five of six city barangays, that the BIR had targeted for inspections and operations.*
