{"id":21294,"date":"2026-09-09T14:38:20","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T06:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/?p=21294"},"modified":"2026-09-09T14:39:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T06:39:06","slug":"15-trailer-trucks-carrying-p960-m-suspected-smuggled-cigarettes-intercepted-in-bataan-pampanga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/2026\/09\/09\/15-trailer-trucks-carrying-p960-m-suspected-smuggled-cigarettes-intercepted-in-bataan-pampanga\/","title":{"rendered":"15 TRAILER TRUCKS CARRYING P960-M SUSPECTED SMUGGLED CIGARETTES INTERCEPTED IN BATAAN, PAMPANGA \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

BY KEVIN GALANG<\/strong><\/p>\n

CAMP OLIVAS, City of San Fernando, Pampanga — A follow-up operation from an earlier interception in Mabalacat City, Pampanga on Tuesday led operatives of the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) to 15 trailer trucks carrying an estimated P960 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes in separate areas of Bataan and Pampanga.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a report to Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) director Brig. Gen. Jess Mendez,\u00a0the operation was conducted following intelligence information that a shipment of suspected contraband cigarettes had been transported from a private seaport in Mariveles, Bataan.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The operation stemmed from the earlier interception of an Isuzu GIGA Wing Van along MacArthur Highway in Bgy. Cacutud, Mabalacat City, Pampanga, on the same day.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The vehicle was found loaded with 759 master cases of suspected smuggled\/illicit cigarettes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Information gathered during the subsequent investigation indicated that the shipment may have originated from a private seaport in Mariveles, Bataan, prompting intelligence operatives of the Regional Special Operations Group-Regional Intelligence Division 3 (RSOG-RID3) led by its chief Lt. Col. Lory E. Tarrazona and his duty deputy Lt. Col. Arvin E. Hosmillo,\u00a0 to proceed to the area and conduct surveillance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

During the surveillance, several trailer trucks carrying 40-foot container vans were monitored in the area.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

At about 8:30 p.m., the trucks were observed leaving one after another, prompting operating units to position along identified routes in Bataan and Pampanga.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The follow-up operation resulted in the interception of seven trailer trucks in Abucay, two in Limay, and one in Orion, all in Bataan, and five in Lubao, Pampanga.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The trucks were subsequently found carrying substantial quantities of suspected smuggled cigarette products.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Based on initial estimates, the cigarette products loaded in the fifteen trucks have an aggregate value of approximately P960 million, subject to final inventory and verification by the appropriate authorities.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beyond the value of the intercepted products, PRO3 underscored the wider impact of illicit trade on communities.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Authorities said the illegal movement and distribution of cigarettes can deprive the government of revenues intended for public programs and services, place legitimate businesses and law-abiding retailers at a disadvantage, and allow illegal networks to profit outside established regulatory systems.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The operation was led by RSOG-RID3, with personnel from RDEU3, RMFB3, Bataan PIU, Bataan PMFC, Abucay MPS, Limay MPS, Orion MPS, Bataan PPO, Lubao MPS, Pampanga PPO, and CIDG RFU 3.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mendez said the successful follow-up demonstrates the importance of acting immediately on intelligence developed from previous police operations.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe earlier interception in Mabalacat City provided our personnel with information that we immediately pursued. This follow-up operation prevented another substantial volume of suspected illicit cigarettes from reaching the market. More importantly, we are pursuing the source and the people behind their movement and distribution because illegal trade affects government revenues, legitimate businesses, and ultimately our communities,\u201d Mendez said.<\/strong><\/p>\n

PRO3 is coordinating with concerned government agencies for the proper verification and disposition of the intercepted products and the filing of appropriate charges against those who may be found liable.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BY KEVIN GALANG CAMP OLIVAS, City of San Fernando, Pampanga — A follow-up operation from an earlier interception in Mabalacat City, Pampanga on Tuesday led<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21295,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6,17],"tags":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cigar-smuggled.jpg",1800,1200,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cigar-smuggled-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cigar-smuggled-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cigar-smuggled-768x512.jpg",640,427,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cigar-smuggled-1024x683.jpg",640,427,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cigar-smuggled-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cigar-smuggled.jpg",1800,1200,false],"kreeti-slider-full":["https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cigar-smuggled-1280x720.jpg",1280,720,true],"kreeti-featured":["https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cigar-smuggled-1024x683.jpg",1024,683,true],"kreeti-medium":["https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cigar-smuggled-720x530.jpg",720,530,true],"kreeti-medium-square":["https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cigar-smuggled-350x350.jpg",350,350,true]},"author_info":{"info":["admin"]},"category_info":"Provincial<\/a> Top News<\/a>","tag_info":"Top News","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21294"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21294"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21294\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21296,"href":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21294\/revisions\/21296"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}