Fire alarm exposes fake cigarette firm

Northern Police District (NPD) operatives are tracking down the mastermind behind the operation of a fake cigarette factory in Valenzuela City where at least five Chinese nationals were arrested when the plant was accidentally discovered by authorities Friday.

The suspects’ identities, however, are still being withheld by the police pending deeper investigation on the operation of the illegal cigarette plant at 6080 A. Pabaya street in Barangay Mapulang Lupa.

At around 4:45 p.m. Friday, the Valenzuela City police, led by Superintendent Jose Marcelo and Senior Inspector Danilo Bugay and several NBI agents, led by Rogelio Mamauag and Ruel Lasala, were conducting a surveillance operation near a warehouse at 6080 A. Pabaya street when the city fire department received a fire alarm in the area.

City fire marshal Chief Inspector Efren Yadao responded to the call and he chanced upon the NBI and police operatives in the sleuthing operation.

Through a mission order by the city fire department, police and NBI agents with the fire safety inspectors, were able to enter the premises of the warehouse.

During inspection, authorities reportedly found hundreds of boxes of fake Marlboro, Winston and Champion cigarettes as well as machines and raw materials used in manufacturing the products.

Five Chinese nationals found inside the warehouse were reportedly brought to the NBI main office in Manila for investigation.

Only recently, a 30-minute fire also exposed a P2.2 billion shabu laboratory in Barangay Lawang Bato in Valenzuela City.

Northern Police District director Senior Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr. said the find paralyzed the illegal drug trade in the country as it led to the discovery of another shabu warehouse in Navotas and a laboratory in Quezon City. –Pete Laude