AROUND P49-M ILLICIT CIGARETTES INTERCEPTED ON MACARTHUR HIGHWAY IN MABALACAT

BY KEVIN GALANG

CAMP OLIVAS, City of San Fernando, Pampanga — Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) early Monday morning intercepted a wing van loaded with nearly P49 million worth of suspected illicit cigarettes during a joint operation in Mabalacat City, Pampanga. 

In a report to Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) director Brig. Gen. Jess Mendez, the operation was conducted at around 12:30 a.m. on MacArthur Highway in Bgy. Cacutud by personnel of the Regional Special Operations Group-Regional Intelligence Division 3 (RSOG-RID3), Mabalacat City Police Station, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Regional Field Unit 3 (CIDG-RFU 3).

The operation stemmed from more than a week of surveillance after police monitored the vehicle allegedly being used to transport and store master cases of suspected illicit cigarettes in a secluded area in the city.

A search of the Isuzu GIGA wing van yielded 759 master cases of “MODERN” cigarettes, consisting of 329 master cases of red packs and 430 master cases of blue packs.

Police said the cigarette products appeared to have no Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) tax stamps and remain subject to further examination and verification by the appropriate government agencies.

The seized cigarettes were estimated to have a market value of P48,955,500.

Also recovered were the wing van and three cellular phones while four individuals aboard the vehicle were arrested.

Mendez underscored the importance of intelligence gathering and coordination among police units in disrupting illicit trade.

“This is more than a P48.9-million seizure. Every shipment of illicit goods that we stop is one less opportunity for illegal trade to profit at the expense of legitimate businesses and our communities,” Mendez said.

He added that PRO3 would continue to use intelligence-driven operations to prevent illicit products from reaching the market.

Authorities said the seizure could have an impact beyond the value of the confiscated goods, noting that illicit cigarette trading deprives the government of potential tax revenues, undermines legitimate businesses and allows illegal networks to profit from unlawful commerce.

The four suspects and the recovered evidence were brought to RSOG-RID3 for documentation and proper disposition.

PRO3 said it is coordinating with the appropriate government agencies to determine the applicable violations and conduct further examination and verification of the seized cigarette products.

The operation is in line with the PNP Focused Agenda of  PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., particularly its emphasis on intelligence-driven law enforcement, stronger coordination among police units and operations that produce concrete results.

PRO3 said it would sustain intelligence-based operations against illicit trade and other illegal activities that threaten legitimate commerce and the economic well-being of communities across Central Luzon.