• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Police operatives seized an estimated P8 million worth of smuggled cigarettes which were abandoned on Wednesday at the old airport in Bacolod City.
At the same time, three suspects were arrested by operatives of the PNP Maritime Group Special Operation Unit and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group- Negros Occidental Field Office.
The confiscation was made by PNP Maritime Group personnel, while conducting seaborne operations, saw a vessel carrying the allegedly smuggled cigarettes.
The vessel managed to escape, however, it left behind about 149 boxes which contained the alleged smuggled cigarettes, according to the Maritime police.
The confiscated smuggled cigarettes are believed to have originated from Mindanao, according to authorities.
In previous months, smuggled cigarettes totaling P15.6 million were confiscated in E.B. Magalona and Cauayan, Negros Occidental, and P1.23 million in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.*
