Police seize P20 million imported cigarettes in Zamboanga

COTABATO CITY , Philippines —  Police seized P20 million worth of Indonesia-made cigarettes at a checkpoint along the highway in Tigbao town, Zamboanga del Sur on Saturday.

According to reports from the Tigbao municipal and Zamboanga del Sur provincial police, the checkpoint was set up after legitimate cigarette dealers tipped them off that 350 boxes of imported cigarettes would arrive in Tigbao.

Both the truck driver and helper failed to present the importation documents. They are detained for questioning at the Tigbao police office.

The smuggled items will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs.

In Nueva Ecija, the Zaragosa town police also seized P1.3 million worth of smuggled cigarettes at a checkpoint along the San Antonio-Zaragosa road in Barangay Balitan on Saturday.

Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, Central Luzon police director, said Zaragoza police manning a checkpoint had stopped a van for routine inspection.

Maranan said the operatives saw 20 boxes of imported cigarettes inside the vehicle, but the driver could not present any import document.

Col. Ferdinand Germino, Nueva Ecija provincial police director, said charges for violating Republic Act 8293, or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, would be filed against the van driver. - Ric Sapnu